Red Rogues
by RedRogues
Summary: An exciting new adventure in the Skies of Arcadia universe, filled with dangers and plot twists galore! Join the original cast of Vyse, Aika, and Fina while they traverse the skies, and what is this about a new group of pirates...? FIND OUT HERE!
1. Embarking on Adventure

Chapter 1: Embarking on Adventure

It was a night just like any other. As the silver moon rose in the sky, illuminating the chain of islands that rested below it, their denizens switched gears and settled down for the evening, taking up residence instead in their houses and the tavern rather than the marketplace. The streets of Sailor's Island were unusually deserted on this particular night; the bustling of activity at the bar suggesting that there was either a discount or a celebration going on to the casual bystander. In the world of Arcadia, news traveled as fast as the winds could take them. It was therefore unsurprising that sailors and pirates of all factions were joyously cheering together at Valua's first failed attempt at asserting their dominance over the world. This is referring to, of course, the successful escape of the Blue Rogues.

Not that it mattered in the slightest to the two shadows that slinked carefully around the walls and across the creaking bridge toward their destination. Whether the Blue Rogues lived or died were of no concern to them; if anything they were just grateful for the diversion this latest event provided them.

"Weapons or items?" A soft feminine voice whispered, pausing as they came to a stop in the short alley between the ship parts and items stores. There was a thoughtful moment of silence before her companion whipped out a gun and gave her a cheeky grin.

"Both, of course." Her friend's outline shivered in anticipation at what they were about to do. This never got old.

"I'll retrieve the items, then. I'll meet you back on the Thalia after." She said nothing more as she slowly shuffled to the store's front door, picking the lock until a satisfying click later and the door swung open. She quietly entered and was soon engulfed in darkness. The other thief watched her partner curiously for a moment before she spun around and headed to the weapon's store. There was work to be done.

The night would go on without a single disruption. As the drunken sailors blearily stumbled out onto the cobblestone to head back to their respective vessels, only one would notice the two girls that slyly moved around them to board their own ship. He would think nothing of it, and when the morning came, he would have forgotten entirely.

* * *

"Vyse… VYSE, wake up already!" Her tone was of apparent disapproval as he jumped into the waking world with a start, rubbing his eyes to clear his vision as a fiery red-head impatiently tapped her foot by his bedside. "It's about time; I've been trying to wake you up for the last ten minutes!"

"Yeah right…" He grumbled, yawning before giving each of his arms and legs a prolonged and satisfying stretch. They were stiff from having slept so comfortably the past night. Oh well, he would force the mobility out of them if he had to. "Your voice is too loud for anyone to possibly sleep through, Aika."

"Vyse!" Aika exclaimed, appearing offended as she crossed her arms and huffed. Vyse rolled his eyes and brushed some brown strands of hair from his face as Aika's façade slowly crumbled; leaving her to smile as she playfully punched him in the shoulder. It was impossible for the duo to have a spat between them; they were much too close for that. He adjusted his eye patch so that it rested securely around his head before he finally pushed himself from his bed to join the world around him. Had he known how long it would be until he could sleep in this room again, he probably would have lingered on it for a moment longer. He followed his yellow clad friend down the wooden ladder as she excitedly bumbled about the adventure ahead of them. That's right! They were going to help Fina retrieve the moon crystals.

Vyse caught sight of the signature white and gold patterned outfit from the corner of his eye immediately upon entering the downstairs. Surrounded by the wooden structure of their house and the dull furniture that acted as its interior, the Silvite truly stood out with her foreign attire.

"Good morning, Vyse. I trust you slept well?" Fina asked politely, though her voice betrayed a trace of amusement from what had transpired upstairs. Anyone could have heard Aika's elevated voice when she had attempted to wake Vyse up; some of the children in the clearing had even joined in on the waking call, though Vyse couldn't have heard it due to Aika's proximity. The red head enjoyed being loud and obnoxious when she felt like it; it eased away any tension that might have otherwise hovered over their heads. It would be a trademark that would later lift their spirits in their darkest hours… It truly is amazing how one characteristic can develop into something much, much more.

"I did; thank you. All set to go?" Vyse was ready to start exploring this world he lived in. Though he had heard many stories from his father about the distant civilizations, Vyse never before had the opportunity to visit them until now. He couldn't wait to pilot the Little Jack and expand his horizons. There were a few individuals that could wait, however, and they announced their presence by feigning the clearing of their throats. Vyse turned to face his parents, who stood together behind the kitchen counter.

"I understand that you are anxious to begin your adventure, Vyse, but you need to be a bit more thoughtful than that." Dyne scolded gently, wrapping an arm around his wife as he spoke. Her face was placid as she tried very hard not to crack with emotion. Pride and worry for her son were heavy on her mind, it appeared. Vyse felt the tension emanating from her look, so he did what he thought would be the most comforting gesture – he manoeuvred around the counter and gave her one of his strongest hugs. His embrace was tight and reassuring, truly a soft moment for the other occupants of the room.

"Stay smart, and be safe, Vyse… Don't do anything reckless." Her voice cracked as she let him go, giving him a teary-eyed smile. "I know that you won't, sweetie… It's just a mother's instinct."

"I expect you to follow the Blue Rogue code regardless of where you are, Vyse. Think like a rogue, and the paths will be illuminated for you." Dyne continued, getting his teenaged boy's attention. "Believe in your companions."

"Are you just going to stand there all day?" A gruff voice growled as his large frame entered the doorway, scanning his new young crewmembers faces as they turned their gazes to him. "We'll be lucky enough to reach Sailor's Island by dusk at this rate." His hardened face frowned, though it lifted slightly as he stared down the other two adults in the room. "I mean no disrespect, of course."

"I understand, Captain Drachma." The leader of the Blue Rogues nodded, knowing full well how the older gentleman must be feeling right now. After all, Dyne had experienced it a few times himself, though in a different context. "Vyse, Aika, I expect you both to be on your best behaviour. Represent us well. Fina, I wish you the best of luck in completing your objectives." In that moment a look of disdain flashed across his face – one that made it known that he wasn't happy about the Silvite making off with two of his favourite pirates, not to mention them being his son and unofficially adopted daughter. It was quick, and only the older sailor of fifty-five years caught it. The two were a lot more alike than the captain of the Little Jack realized. If anything were to happen to Vyse or Aika, Drachma had no doubt that Dyne would swear vengeance on whoever bested them… just as he had swore regarding the arc whale Rhaknam all that time ago.

"Thank you." The Silvite gave a short bow of appreciation, accompanied by the soft squeak of her silver metamorphosis companion Cupil. Vyse and Aika both looked embarrassed and wanted to comment back, but chose wisely instead to stay quiet and give a humble nod. With the farewells now out of the way, it was time for them to depart.

"Come and visit us sometime, you hear?" Vyse's mother called out as the group of four made for the door.

"No worries, Vyse's mother!" Aika replied, giving a loving wave. Vyse chuckled sheepishly while Fina walked with a bemused expression. This was to be the start of an unforgettable adventure, of that she was sure.

* * *

"Sailor's Island is on the horizon, Captain!" Vyse reported; standing composed behind the helm as his hands guided them straight towards the island in the far distance. The lighthouse's beams pierced through the darkening sky as it rotated around to act as a beacon for all directions to see. Drachma gave a huff as an initial response, which Vyse was quickly learning to be the captain's traditional acknowledgement of his crewmembers.

"Told you your loitering would cost us a day." Annoyance was evident in his tone as the older man spoke. "We should be nearing Maramba by now, not Sailor's Island."

"Aw, come on Capt… I already apologized for that. My parents can be a bit… protective." Vyse appeared embarrassed by this statement. Drachma could understand why Vyse's parents would act the way they did. Vyse was a good kid. A bit foolhardy, but he had the skills to back them up for the most part.

"Vyse, I need to ask you something." The blue jacket wearing teen perked up immediately at the serious nature that wrapped around this question.

"Yes?" What could Drachma possibly want to know that he didn't know already?

"This might sound a bit odd, but… What is the name of your mother?"

"Huh? Why?" Vyse's confusion was expressed quite well in his eyes as he peeled them away from the windows to stare at the one-armed man. It was rather out of the blue.

"Well, I just thought it was odd that your friend only called her 'your mother'… In my day, that would be considered highly disrespectful to your elders." From the look on his face, he still believed that to be the case. He was entirely right, of course. Vyse sighed.

"She's never told a soul her name. She always said to me that to tell someone what her name was would be giving them empowerment over her. I can't claim to understand what that means, but… there you go." Vyse shifted uncomfortably as he offered the only explanation he could give, which he knew to be nonsensical. Drachma considered what the boy said thoughtfully, finding it odd that this wife and mother would not share her name with her own family…

"It might be possible she doesn't know it." Drachma concluded. "Unless your mother truly believes in that explanation she gave you, but from what I saw, it seemed more like she was uncertain and insecure rather than deliberate."

"A two second glance and you got all of that?" Vyse didn't know whether to be impressed or find it slightly eerie that Drachma looked so much into a matter that he personally didn't believe to be a big deal. "Sounds like it comes from experience, captain."

"Aye, it does, but never mind that now, boy. Watch your steering. We're nearing the port, and I'll be damned if you scratch the Little Jack's exterior because of an idling conversation." That was a dismissal of the subject from what Vyse could hear, but he knew when not to pry. He would already be shaming his upbringing if he tried.

The docking of Sailor's Island was done entirely in silence. Drachma was studying Vyse's movements meticulously to watch for errors in judgment, but the old man would find himself pleasantly surprised again at the boy's natural aptitude for flying. Aika and Fina joined them on the bridge when the ship had come to a stop.

"We'll be staying tonight at the inn." Drachma announced in the silence that the youngsters provided him. "Heard that there be some new ship parts in store; going to get them installed in the morning. Be sure to stock up on items you might need. Never know when yer going to get another opportunity."

"Aye aye! Let's go!" With that, the four person crew excitedly disembarked together to head to the main cluster of buildings that made up Sailor's Island. Drachma left them rather abruptly to have a drink or three at the tavern; to talk to Polly, he said, but also to drown some feelings that had manifested during his conversation with Vyse. He promised to meet them at the inn later. This left our signature trio to wander about the town and hear snippets of interesting information… something regarding a recent theft in the area?

"It is strange, this place…" Fina murmured, looking around with a curiosity that one could only express as a newcomer to the area. "Perhaps it is just the time of day, but this place seems more… a dreary atmosphere than even the residents are comfortable with."

"I know what you mean…" Aika affirmed, placing her hands on her hips as she frowned. "This place is usually much more chipper. They must be upset over the thefts we heard about."

"Guess they take thefts and kidnappings more personally here… They like to promote a diverse and accepting community; must be jarring to their reputation when stuff like this happens. I do hope that the item store still has some supplies left in stock, though. I'm a bit wary about the number of monsters we've had problems with recently." Vyse lead them over the creaky bridge and toward the said building, though he paused when he noticed that Fina had stopped following them. Aika noticed too.

"What's wrong, Fina?" The casual boomerang wielder asked, approaching their foreign friend with concern. Cupil was crooning softly in reassurance, but for what, neither Vyse nor Aika really knew.

"Forgive me, friends. This might sound odd, but I was just getting weird vibes about the place… I'm sure it's nothing." Fina shook off the feeling, regaining confidence as she strode across the bridge to join Vyse on the other side. Aika trailed behind in bewilderment, lacking comprehension of the Silvite's sporadic behaviour. Fina had a tendency to flop around on her feelings concerning certain things; that much Aika was aware of, but they were merely entering the item store! Surely such an action did not deserve such hesitation?

As they entered the small room, however, Aika couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. The shopkeeper stared them down suspiciously, his expression one of contempt as Vyse approached the counter.

"What affiliation of sailor?" The question was sharp and direct.

"Blue Rogues." Vyse replied in kind. The older man glowered at the response.

"Rogues?" He echoed. "Tell me then, Blue Rogue, would you happen to know anything about this?" At this the shopkeeper pulled off a flag that had been draped as décor on the counter. Vyse's eyes widened as he was met with the sight of a short engraving. _The Rogues were here._

"I have no idea. Blue Rogues are for helping the people, and we only all just got back from escaping Valua… it couldn't have been the work of one in our faction."

"That's what I was thinking." The man crossed his arms, scanning the engraving on his workspace again before covering it up once more. "Just wanted to be sure. What do you need, travelers?"

"Oh, that's a relief. I was worried when I heard about the robbery that you wouldn't have anything." Aika admitted, coming to stand beside Vyse at the counter. Fina was looking around the room, taking everything in.

"Aye, I wouldn't have nothing now except that a shipment came in from Nasr this morning. Business wasn't disrupted, but you can imagine that the loss of profits poses an inconvenience in acquiring future supplies."

"Some sacri and curia crystals, please." Vyse filled his order, though Aika hurriedly added,

"Magic droplets too!" If they were to run into many more random encounters, she just knew that they would be praying for the moons to give them strength multiple times. They had to make sure they would be prepared for that inevitability. The shopkeeper handed over the selected items, appearing visibly relieved as Vyse handed over the appropriate payment of gold.

"Good night to you three!" He would yell as they exited, but they would only give muffled replies as a response. It would not be too much longer that the three would find themselves lounging around in one of their two reserved rooms, waiting once again on Drachma's reappearance. When the older man finally did, he was very solemn and demure in his character.

"I've been hearing some things that I don't like." His voice was as gruff as always, though it was with a tinge of slurring from one too many drinks. "A group of pirates that attack anything that moves in these parts, pretty much."

"What, more Black Pirates? I thought we chased Baltor out of this region?" Aika pondered aloud. Drachma shook his head.

"Nay, it is not of Baltor or any of the other Black Pirates; none of them have been reported in the area recently. There's a rumour spreading around that there's a new group of pirates around… a group of girls flying a pretty indistinguishable ship."

"Indistinguishable? In what way?" This came from Vyse.

"An average ship with extraordinary firepower, or so they say. The design is so basic it just blends in with the others. Don't know what yer up against until it's too late."

"Do they have a name?" Fina spoke up, finally joining in on the speculative conversation. "Perhaps in affiliation with the 'Rogues' term?" Drachma's features lit up at the suggestion immediately, telling the three other occupants of the room that he had indeed heard something along the same lines.

"Polly told me she's heard talk about these… 'Red Rogues'. Some small quips about them have been cropping up in Nasr as of late. Most people believe that they don't exist, but… Where did you hear it from?"

"We visited the item shop. The word Rogue was engraved on the counter, likely by using a blade of some kind." Vyse filled the captain in, who rubbed his chin thoughtfully and nodded.

"Don't think the people are right to dismiss them, if these people are as bold and daring as the rumours say. That said, Vyse, when you take rein of the Little Jack tomorrow, I expect you to be on full alert. We'll be heading to the deserts of Nasr, and from where the stories are coming from… they favour that continent."

"It would be foolish to disregard this, I agree. I'll keep a watch, not to worry." Vyse replied. Aika muttered something about helping to assist him on the lookout, though it was nearly unheard because she promptly fell asleep only moments later. With Aika asleep and Fina nearing the same state, it was time to turn in for the night. Drachma headed off into the adjacent room to inhabit a room himself while Vyse opted to stay with the girls. The only one that would object to this had already fallen asleep anyhow.

"Vyse…?" Her voice was always melodic in his ears. She spoke with a quiet intelligence; had an unusual personality compared to whom he had grown up with.

"Hmm?" Vyse pulled off his jacket, exposing his black undershirt.

"These Red Rogues… do you think we'll have any problems with them?" Faint veils of nerves were laced in the question.

"I doubt it." Vyse shrugged, though at Fina's uncertain expression he gave her a warm smile. "I don't think we'll ever run into them either, but if we do, I'm sure we'll do just fine. The Little Jack's harpoon cannon is nothing to sneeze at, that's for sure."

"If you say so… have a good night, Vyse." She plopped on a well maintained bed, deciding that it was much too warm to wish to crawl underneath the covers. Aika had opted for the same, at least judging at how she was sprawled over the top as they looked at her.

"Pleasant dreams, Fina. Rest easy." It would not be long before the Silvite followed the red-head's lead into slumber, but Vyse would soon find that his mind was churning with too many thoughts to allow him to drift off. What did a moon crystal look like? What had Drachma deliberately avoided talking about earlier when they had docked the ship? Who were the Red Rogues?

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your view) for Vyse, he would get the answers to these questions all in good time.

For now, though… sleep.

END CHAPTER 1


	2. All Your Booze Are Belong To Us

Chapter 2: All Your Booze Are Belong to Us

It was a crisp and sunny day that the residents of the Thalia awoke to; a beautiful start to another day of successful pirating, they were sure. Even the South Ocean, which was famed for its harsh wind and vortexes, seemed calm and delightful in the light of this new morning, allowing them easy access to the faraway continent of Ixa'taka, land under the green moon.

"I wish we could have seen the shopkeeper's face when they he arrived at the store this morning… must have been a hilarious sight." A girl in her late teens sighed, seeming truly sad that she didn't have the opportunity to marvel at her handiwork. She understood why they needed to be cautious; one too many close calls for both of them resulted in the need to be wary, but it took some of the fun out of stealing. While the action itself was all well and good, she mostly enjoyed watching their victim fume about the loss of their property. This secretive method was dull.

Not that she could complain, though. She was the one that came up with the idea.

"The weapon's store owner is a giant. Watching him throw a hissy fit would have been priceless." Her friend joined in, entering the bridge by climbing the ladder that was connected in the room behind them. She paused, imagining the outcome. "Ah, I can hear their cry of dismay from here… isn't that wonderful?"

"I'm not too sure I get why you two take such pleasure in this." A third girl, much younger than the other two, spoke from behind the helm.

"Of course you wouldn't, Theora." The blonde stuck out her tongue. "You're far too stupid and cowardly to get the thrills of stealing."

"Come off it, Skye." The other teen, a taller girl with lush curly hair, commented. "Theora manages just fine as the resident pilot. You and I can barely fly; she contributes in her own way."

"Yeah, what Vanessa said!" Theora exclaimed, looking away from the window to make a face at the surly blonde. Skye rolled her eyes from behind the glasses she wore. She couldn't stand the annoying little pipsqueak; it still annoyed her that Vanessa was always quick to rush to her defence too.

"Whatever you say then, I guess." Skye shrugged. "I'm still all for you throwing her overboard."

"Vanessa..." The whine in Theora's voice was grating when she reached that tone. Skye thought it sounded like a spoiled brat, and based on the exasperation that was appearing on Vanessa's face, she wasn't too fond of it either.

"Not going to happen. Just focus on flying, if you would Theora." The girl nodded obediently and turned back to face the window, jumping when she realized just how close they were about to sail into a vortex. Why hadn't the other two said anything? She veered the Thalia to the left to avoid it.

"So why are we heading to Ixa'taka?" The brunette pig-tailed preteen decided to ask. Neither Skye nor Vanessa had explained to her, though she wasn't too surprised. They usually forgot to tell her or intentionally left her in the dark because they knew she'd be judgmental. The truth was that while Theora truly loved flying (it had always been a dream of hers), she did not approve of how Skye and Vanessa chose to live. Many innocents got wrapped up in their games, leaving them either completely ruined or dead. When she had vocalized her opinion, Skye had again threatened to have her chucked overboard, but what frightened her most was that Vanessa looked like she had actually considered it. Theora was quick to shut up and pilot for them. They were the only two friends she had; she didn't want to lose that connection…

"None of your business." Skye snapped abrasively. "Why bother asking when you know what we're going to do?"

"Skye…" Vanessa warned; her face stern as she stared at her black and white clad companion. "Give her a break already; she's allowed to ask if she wants."

"She's just going to run her mouth as she always does." Skye retorted, throwing the back of their pilot a sneer. "I don't know why you care about her. She's whiny and shrill, is always asking for the most stupid of things, and her flying isn't actually that great either! If you hadn't told her to focus on flying, we would have been torn to shreds by the winds already." Theora's body stiffened as she gripped the helm tightly. _How dare she!_

Vanessa sighed, her enthusiasm from this morning completely deteriorated by the events in this room. Why did it always have to be like this?

"Theora's my friend, and I don't care what you think about her. Everyone in this room has their faults; you don't need to excessively pick her apart to provoke an explosive reaction. I know you don't like her, so just ignore her existence if you have to, but she's staying with us. That's final."

"You know what? Fine." Skye headed towards the ladder, barely managing to control the bristling temper that was sure to flare out at any moment. She didn't want to fight Vanessa over something so stupid; certainly not over Theora, at any rate. "I'll be in my room. See you in Horteka." Without another word she descended, leaving the two to stand in silence as they could hear the slam of the blonde's door echoing up to their position.

"Oh, moons…" Vanessa groaned. At the time, joining forces with Skye had seemed like a great idea; almost instinctive in nature. They balanced each other's weaknesses quite well in battle, and both were competent enough to learn to listen to their partner while in the act of stealing. Skye was eccentric and fun to be around when it was just the two of them, but when Theora came in the picture, the two almost immediately locked swords at every opportunity. Vanessa never knew if their next adventures on the Thalia were going to be peaceful or not, or if she would have to step in as a peacekeeper. It gave her unnecessary stress she really didn't want to deal with.

"Vanessa, I'm sorry…" Theora's voice was very small as it broke the silence that hung around them.

"Its fine, Theora, don't worry about it." She tried to sound comforting, but it came off flat. Vanessa was no longer in the mood to be with either of her crewmates; a feeling that Theora recognized from her friend as she could hear Vanessa also walking toward the ladder, just like Skye before her. "We're going to sell some weapons in Horteka. We haven't decided what we're going to do after."

"Oh, all right then." Theora replied, a bit more chipper that she was now in the know. Her mood dampened when Vanessa said nothing more, climbing down the ladder without so much as a goodbye or see you later. The young girl pouted, seeing the chain of islands that made up the continent of Ixa'taka on the horizon.

Sometimes, with moments like this… being a member of the Red Rogues was not all that it was cracked up to be.

* * *

"About time we're away from that cockroach, eh?" Skye grinned, elated to finally be moving and to be away from Theora (naturally). Vanessa was not too amused by the comment, so she decided to ignore it and instead continue on their pace toward the city center of Horteka. They had no idea where they were going; although they had previously visited Horteka once or twice, their sense of direction was notoriously bad where ladders and walkways were concerned. Not that anyone could blame them; the inhabitants had chosen to build their dwellings to coincide with their environment, so each pathway was quite literally a labyrinth of branches near the canopy of the trees. Skye and Vanessa were not individuals who gave up over something so simple, however, and so they stubbornly proceeded to take any which passage and hope for the best.

Some things are truly meant to happen for a reason. Some call it fate; others, a coincidence. For Skye and Vanessa, however, it was a little bit of both. Skye pulled Vanessa out of view and gestured for silence, her grip on her friend's arm slackening as she did. Vanessa was confused but complied with the request, standing quietly at the side of a building that rested precariously close to a cliff face. _Skye could have chosen a better location for snooping_, Vanessa thought, hugging the wall with her back uneasily. _That is quite the large drop; wouldn't want to fall down that… _

Vanessa didn't quite understand what they were doing there. She heard nothing but the rustling of the leaves as a gentle breeze fluttered through them; the sounds of children playing in the far off distance. Vanessa threw Skye an inquiring look but was given no response as she was met with the sight of blonde hair. Skye was keenly observing something that Vanessa could not see from beyond. She would just have to trust that it was something important and leave it at that.

"…shipment of loqua to be delivered tonight…" Skye perked up as two men spoke with deliberate low voices to deter eavesdroppers. Unfortunately for them, though, the Red Rogues had just stumbled upon a wonderful opportunity. She strained to hear for more details. "Think Ivan is up to looking over the transfer?"

"I don't know why you guys would even consider Ivan, however loyal he might be." The other replied, notably louder than his soft-spoken companion. "The kid's blind. He wouldn't be able to differentiate between a merchant and pirate; he can't see them!"

"Ivan's a good kid. He's got a good head on his shoulders, and he's overseen plenty in his time. I don't see why we should discriminate against him now."

"Because this shipment is much more important than the rest was?" The man gave an irritated sigh. "No matter; use the boy if you have to. I just hope you realize that you are placing your entire year's wages in the hands of a blind guy, Leon."

"I'd trust him with my life, Isaiah." Leon gave as a sincere response. "I have confidence that he'll pull through. It's not like he'll have to worry much. There haven't been any reports of Black Pirates in the area recently."

"Just because there aren't reports don't mean they're not there." Isaiah frowned. Was Leon truly this ignorant or was his faith just as blind as the boy he directed it towards? "I'm not just worried about them, either. There's also the Red Rogues-"

"Red Rogues? Pah! Now we see who's delusional here. They're just an urban legend to frighten the children, and even if they did exist, they've never been seen in Ixa'taka." Leon smirked, amused. "Don't tell me that such myths frighten you as well!"

"With a personality like yours, you're just asking to be mugged." Isaiah rolled his eyes. "I tried to warn you. Whether you choose to heed my advice or stumble forward your careless ambition is your own decision. May Drishti be with you." With that said, Isaiah left Leon to fume in place while he wandered back to the inn.

"That guy pisses me off!" Leon exclaimed to no one in particular. He did not know that his supposed 'urban legend' was actually listening in on him at this moment. "To insult my boy and then attempt to cover his insolence with our deity… Oh, we will see who is in the right tomorrow!" Leon nodded, as if that were a satisfactory decision on his part. Ivan would guard the loqua tonight; of that he would make sure. He left, presumably to tell the said boy of his decision.

"Did… you hear that?" Skye's voice nearly cracked from how much excitement she restrained. She didn't want to accidentally give away their position after they had just overheard such a juicy conversation.

"Bits and pieces." Vanessa admitted, not sounding nearly as enthusiastic. Her trademark grin revealed that she had heard enough. "The words loqua and blind stood out quite well…"

"You know what I'm thinking?" Skye asked; her mouth twitching as it erupted into a huge smile.

"I'd be a horrible pirate if I didn't." Vanessa chuckled. "I just came up with a brilliant idea."

"Ohhh… Care to extrapolate?" Skye gave a suggestive nudge and a wink, to which Vanessa gave a shy dismissive wave.

"Not now, my dear. We've got some weapons to sell and some inexpensive nothings to steal before the grand plan comes to fruition. Let's go."

"I'm right behind you… as always."

"Let's leave the sexual innuendos for when we're drunk in celebration, all right?"

"Aw… drat."

* * *

"I never thought you would be one for arts and crafts, Skye." The young girl giggled at the collection of materials on the centerpiece table. Skye grumbled instinctively, never once actually settling her gaze on the putrid child beside her. It appeared that Skye had actually taken Vanessa's advice and was now carefully avoiding confrontation by ignoring Theora completely. The blue wearing bimbo wore a perturbed expression at this arrangement, but out of respect for their third partner, who was currently sorting the scattered materials into neat piles, she chose to remain silent.

"So here's the grand plan I conjured up earlier…" Vanessa was having a hard time keeping it together; so amused was she at the elaborate masterpiece she was about to share. She directed their attention to the two piles, which really just seemed like an odd assortment of leaves they had ripped off of low hanging branches. A crown of thorns each rested on the top. "Well, we just might have overheard that a kind young gentleman by the name of Ivan will be overseeing the safety of a rather large shipment of loqua that is to be collected tonight… I do believe that we will need a convincing disguise to pull this off. Theora, I want you to remain aboard and prep the Thalia for loading."

"I hate to be a pessimist, Vanessa…" Theora said slowly, clearly disbelieving what she was hearing, "but do you honestly believe that sticking some leaves in your outfit and wearing a crown will actually convince anyone that you're an Ixa'takan?"

"Fret not, Theora. In this particular scenario, I am quite confident in my abilities as a master of deception. Do not worry of the details. Just have the Thalia ready."

"Aye aye, I guess…" Theora mumbled. Skye snorted, picking up the crown.

"Your creativity never ceases to amaze me, Nessa. Got to say, this might be one of our finest moments." She placed the crown on her head, over the bandana. "Not the most comfortable or fashionable, but… it'll do."

"Come now, what do you think the flowers are for?" Vanessa asked mischievously, stepping aside to reveal a clump of flowers on the counter behind her. "Thought it might be fun to decorate otherwise boring crowns. Don't really know why any Ixa'takan would want to wear them as is…"

"I hear you, I hear you." Skye agreed, smirking as she grabbed a handful. "Might I make your headpiece, darling?"

"Only if I get to decorate yours, miss." Vanessa replied, her tone playful as she took the crown from Skye's head.

"You guys always leave me out of the fun…" Theora grumbled, sulking away from the table. "I'll be awaiting further instruction below deck." She headed to leave, though she froze as she felt something be placed on her head. She raised a hand to touch it, feeling the prickling sensation of one of its extended thorns as it grazed her finger. Her face transformed into one of pleasant surprise as Vanessa gently patted the top of her head.

"Be at ease, Theora. I wouldn't intentionally forget you." The older teen gave a warm smile as Theora pulled off the crown to marvel at its pattern. Plenty of purple and red flowers; accompanied by the traditional leaves that an Ixa'takan wore… It looked fantastic.

"Thanks!" Theora rushed in and gave Vanessa a quick hug. Her mood was notably improved as her stride became more enthusiastic. She left the bridge, whistling an ecstatic tune as she went.

"I would." Skye said under her breath, in response to Vanessa's reassurance. It would thankfully go unheard, or else she would have received quite the glare from her younger teenage companion. There would be plenty of time for lectures and off-putting remarks for another day.

* * *

The dynamic duo stood in silence as they observed the only obstacle between them and their target; the presumably blind boy that paced slowly back and forth in front of a small opening to a cave. Ivan was a typically built Ixa'takan male; his skin was dark and tan from constant exposure to the sun, his muscles were toned from consistent use in the city and in the wilds, his outfit had the same leaves that they had stuffed into their own pirate attire before coming. The only true differences between Ivan and the casual Ixa'takan they might have seen walking down a street was that this guy chose instead to wear dark green pants and a light open vest, which was actually quite suiting as it did not intentionally expose too much and marked the boy as a bit more conservative than the norm. From their vantage point they could see that he had thick, unkempt brown hair, emblazoned with streaks of red at the tips. It partially covered his face, though that likely didn't matter to a guy that had no sight to begin with.

"He's… kind of cute." Vanessa whispered, feeling her cheeks slightly burn as her eyes scanned his outline from a distance. Skye gave a soft chuckle, though she shook her head and rolled her eyes as she did.

"Sorry miss, but you're stuck with me. Can't be sharing you with no Ixa'takan boys now."

"Aw…" Vanessa faked a pout in her friend's direction. "You sure you don't want to take him with us? He could be of some use…"

"What are you thinking for, exactly? A blind kid would be useless on the Thalia; he wouldn't be able to do anything."

"Not at first, but… he'd make for some good eye candy." Vanessa giggled. "That and you could use him as bait to lure Theora away… so we'd have some quality time."

"As good an idea as that is…" Skye started, seriously thinking about it now, "I think we should just focus on the task at hand, first. We'll evaluate him later."

"I'm all for that. Let's go." Taking another glance around the empty clearing, Vanessa led Skye away from their established hiding spot, walking directly towards Ivan. The male teen stiffened as he heard their approach, though his stance relaxed slightly as the rustling of the leaves they wore reached his ears. For all he knew, he was being approached by the Ixa'takan merchants that had just arrived from the east to deliver the shipment he now guarded. Their scent was appropriate too; they had definitely come from Sailor's Island by the way its foreign smells lingered on them.

"Who goes there?" Ivan demanded; his voice thick with a cultural accent. He brandished a spear, pointing its sharp tip in their direction.

"Easy now, Ivan; we're here to retrieve the loqua. Leon said you would be here?" Vanessa greeted, a tad nerved by how close the spear was to her face. Ivan's expression changed at the mention of Leon, now looking a bit more embarrassed as he moved away from them and propped his spear on the cavern's wall.

"My apologies. You must be the friends that my father spoke of. Are you the two he said would be loading the boxes with me?" His vacant eyes were staring at Skye as he said this; prompting her to speak to confirm his inquiry.

"That we are, friend. Our vessel is docked not too far from here. You are to give us a hand with this, yes?" Skye at least made the attempt to sound Ixa'takan; she emphasized certain words with an authoritative air as she mimicked mannerisms she had observed earlier in the day. Ivan appeared surprised that two distinctly feminine voices were speaking to him; most merchants he had dealt with were the stereotypical gruff men that wanted nothing to do with him and his blindness. These two seemed more respectable to him, though something was nagging at his mind.

"Forgive me for rudeness, but… females?"

"We're new recruits." Vanessa explained, knowing that the issue was sure to come up. "Our captain wants us to prove our worth before we're truly considered as part of his crew. This is our initiation, so to speak."

"Lazy guy just didn't want to do the physical labour himself." Skye joked, laughing. Ivan felt at ease around them, chucking along with her as he led them towards the loaded wagons of loqua in the small cavern. For the first time since his childhood days, Ivan wished that he could see. Based on their voices alone, projected images of pretty girls entered his mind. They must be gorgeous.

Ivan would prove to be of invaluable assistance to the Red Rogues, showcasing his strength as he singlehandedly pulled the heavy wagon along while they gently guided him towards the Thalia. The three of them would have several good laughs as they helped each other load the precious cargo onto the ship; Theora mutely observing in disbelief in the far corner as Skye and Vanessa were assisted by the very fellow that was meant to be protecting said loqua from them. Theora noticed the enthusiasm that both of her crewmates shared as they animatedly conversed with the Ixa'takan, who was putting on quite the heartfelt show as he displayed in full force what he considered his best assets. It seemed that even a blind man could be subject to the sexual drive of a regular Ixa'takan male as Ivan tried his best to impress them. Theora wondered if the guy had ever attempted with another girl before… and she also wondered if Skye and Vanessa recognized what he was trying to do.

If they did, Theora couldn't tell. They usually liked to play with fresh meat for awhile before eventually ditching them.

Vanessa was sad when they finished up their chores, leaving the three of them (and Theora, who had never announced her presence) to idly sit around the loading bay as they made pleasant conversation. She shot Skye a look to tell her friend that she was still debating on kidnapping Ivan… he had turned out to be just as helpful as she thought he would be, not to mention a lot more fun. Though she would not vocalize it, she also felt bad about what Ivan would have to face if they left him behind… the amount of grief he would receive for failing to protect the loqua seemingly without any resistance.

Skye had already made up her decision. They would not be taking him this time, though if they visited Ixa'taka in the future and he were still around…

"Here, you've earned this." Skye passed a bottle of loqua to Ivan. He went to protest, mumbling something about loss of profits, but she quieted him. "It's our thanks."

"Do you need assistance with anything else?" He pushed himself up from his position, holding the bottle in one hand as he blankly looked around the room until he finally settled on where he thought her voice was coming from. She smiled at how obedient the fellow was. _It would have made things so easy… but no, not now. _

"That's it, thanks. We'll be heading off to deliver the shipment shortly. You have a pleasant night, Ivan." Skye waved, catching herself as she realized how strange that must have looked.

"Hopefully we'll see you again sometime." Vanessa added. She had found herself comfortable around this Ixa'takan; a fact that she sorely noted as they bade him farewell. They didn't have time to take him… he surely would have lost his enthusiasm once he realized who they truly were anyway. If he ever found out, that is…

"Cheer up, you've still got me." Skye teased, punching the distracted teen playfully on the arm. Vanessa turned to face her, giving her a small smile.

"And me!" Theora jumped in, now that their visitor had finally left their presence. Skye frowned at this.

"Don't ruin my moment, Theora."

"What moment?" Theora stuck out her tongue. "Sorry to tell you, but Vanessa doesn't swing that way."

"Oh, and you would know? Tried and failed already, have we Theora?" Skye smirked as the younger girl gasped, flabbergasted at the implication.

"Why you –"

"Stop it, you two!" Vanessa laughed, pulling them close into a hug. Skye and Theora stiffened at their close proximity but did not complain, as a moment like this was very rare in the lives of the Red Rogues. "We just pulled off something big… let's get off this primitive isle and celebrate, shall we?"

"YES." Skye exclaimed, her thoughts on the drinking party that was soon to come. Oh, she'd get so completely wasted, it would be fantastic!

"I'll get to piloting, then. One of us has to stay alert while we sail, at least." Theora shrugged. "Try not to drink too much if you can… You both get a bit odd if you do." Her glare was on Skye as she said this. Skye shooed the young girl out of the room before she placed her hands on one of the crates.

"I think it's time we give this 'New World Loqua' a go, don't you?" Vanessa's face lit up at the question.

"Gee Skye; I thought you'd never ask."

END CHAPTER 2


	3. Buckets of Abundance

Chapter 3 – Buckets of Abundance

The sight of Maramba in the distance was a clear relief to the four occupants of the Little Jack as they were tiring from the morning's events. After a particularly entertaining segment regarding Aika's comedic interpretation of what the lands of Nasr would be like, the group had been attacked quite ruthlessly by a gang of maroccas – peculiar floating shell creatures with a tendency to jab hard with its two extended tentacles. Vyse specifically had been the subject of much abuse by these monsters; he had actually fallen over a few times with dismayed grunts before being rescued by a well timed boomerang. The sacri crystals and magic droplets that had been purchased the previous evening had proven to be an invaluable decision – battle after battle had begun to wear on their supply, but it had pulled through when they needed it the most. Random encounters were sure to be scarce as they reached the port… or so they hoped, at least.

"This is so exciting!" Aika exclaimed, walking over to the window to press her face against the glass. "We finally get to see what life is like on the continent of Nasr… I hope we don't need too many buckets!"

"Buckets?" Fina echoed; her expression one of uncertainty. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Don't listen to her…" advised Vyse quietly, so that their eccentric red-headed friend couldn't hear. "She's got a wild imagination; don't pay any mind."

"Well, this continent is a desert because the moons affect the climates of their regions, right? This place could have been vibrant and lively at one point in time, so I'd imagine if we're not careful, our hair might be set on fire!" Aika strode over to Fina, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "We certainly don't want that, do we?"

"No… that would be most unpleasant." Fina replied awkwardly, her voice slightly shuddering from the nervous laugh emitting from her throat. Aika bumbled on about how Vyse's hair would likely be the first to erupt into flame (she gave an elaborate reason as to why, but the rest of the crew had tuned her out by this point) and how she would heroically save his life with the bucket she was smart enough to carry around. Drachma was the only one to give a response to this; a rather loud snort that he quickly dismissed as needing to clear his throat. Aika threw up her arms in frustration. It wouldn't be her fault if they caught on fire, not after her repeated warnings…

Vyse expertly handled the Little Jack and manoeuvred it to glide into an open space at the port without incident. He had plenty of spots to choose from; most activity in the region was directed towards Nasrad, the capital to the north. There was a small ship docked on the far right end; a testament that Maramba did occasionally receive tourists despite the competition. Once the ship was secure, the four made their way to the door that led to the deck. Drachma stopped himself though, apparently recalling something in his mind as he told them to go on ahead and he would catch up to them momentarily.

"So this is Maramba… It's so… hot!" Vyse uneasily pulled on his collar as the three stepped onto the port. He could already feel himself beginning to sweat; his outfit dark and uncomfortable in the blazing heat. He felt envious as his childhood friend twisted her head about in wonder, straining to see all that there was to see in a quick look. There was not much that presided beside this port, with the exception of the ship parts store and a large set of stairs that presumably led up to the town. Aika stretched out her exposed arms, enthralled with how warm the sun felt on her skin. Pirate's Isle was certainly much milder than this place.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what they sell here!" Aika grinned, twirling back in her spot to face her friends. "With the treasure we're sure to collect from the temple, I'm sure we could buy anything we wanted! What would you buy first, Fina?" The red-head took a step forward, leaning in to curiously stare up at the Silvite with her almond pools. Fina shuffled uncomfortably in her spot, her mouth forming a small frown as she attempted to decipher the question.

"Um… What does that mean… exactly?" Fina's voice stuttered as Aika's face erupted into one of clear shock.

"What?! Fina… you don't know what that means?" Aika shook her head incredulously, unable to wrap her mind around the implication. How could Fina not know what a purchase was? As far as she knew, the whole world had their own distinct marketplaces for selling and trade, so for the Silvite to be this naïve about such a simple concept…

"It's what we did yesterday." Vyse stepped in; noticing the concern in Fina's eyes as Aika soundlessly gaped at her. "A shop will have items that they wish to sell to make a profit. They will part with their wares for gold, which is the most valuable currency – if not the only one – we have. Buying essentially is just parting with some of your gold for any object you want, in other words."

"Oh… I understand now." She smiled gratefully at the eye-patched wearing teen before returning her gaze to Aika. "I suppose it depends on what is being offered here before I can make a decision."

"We'll hit up the stalls soon." Aika promised, sparing another glance up at the gate that the staircase led to. Impatience began to nip at her as she played with her hands. "Hey, where'd the Cap'n go? Shouldn't he be here already?" Her two companions shared a confused look before they laid eyes upon the resting Little Jack, which Vyse could swear was starting to move backwards…

"Hey!" Vyse called out, his eyes wide. Aika jogged the length of the dock, reaching out with her gloved hand as if it alone could stop the steel contraption.

"W…Wait! Cap'n! Where are you going?" Aika was waving frantically, trying to get the attention of the bearded man that was about to ditch them. Her voice carried over to him as he appeared on the deck, his face emotionless as his one eye stared back at them. Her desperation did nothing to soften him as he remained placid, gazing at them with a look that could make children cower.

"This is where we part company. I've got my own quest to worry about." Drachma took a step back. "I've got to find Rhaknam."

"W-what? Wait a second!" Aika threw out her arms, her eyes glaring with the anger and exasperation she now felt. "What are we supposed to do? We're in the middle of the desert without a ship. How are we supposed to continue on our mission?" Eyebrows furrowed in as Aika defiantly challenged Drachma with her own intense face. Vyse and Fina were silent, watching the exchange with unease as Aika balanced perilously at the edge. She hadn't realized how close she was in her frustration.

"That is not of my concern. I have no interest in crystals or temples." He crossed his arms. "I must find Rhaknam. I cannot waste any more time babysittin'." Without another word he entered his ship, took control of the helm, and began to turn around. Aika started waving her arms in a huge arch again, venting her feelings as it all spewed out in one go.

"Hey! Come back here, you eye-patch wearing freak! You rusty old man! Hey! Are you listening to me?" She was shaking, she was so mad. They had been played for fools! Drachma never had any intention of helping them; that much was clear now.

"Oh my…" Fina held her hands together, at a loss over what had just happened. "This isn't good at all… What should we do?" Aika sighed, her stubborn nature dying down as reality set in.

"We can't even go exploring… We're stuck here." Her shoulders stooped over in defeat.

"Guess we don't have any choice but to explore Maramba now…" Vyse finally said, providing leadership for the trio. "Maybe we can find someone who can take us to the temple then." He turned and started walking towards the stairs, the girls to follow a moment later. Though things did look bleak right now, Vyse kept his hopes up. Someone could help them out, he was sure… and in the meantime, this unexpected hitch gave them more time to venture through Maramba.

* * *

"You are just in time." The voice spoke with volumes of relief. "Happy hour is fast approaching, and my daughter forgot to book a shipment for the night. We were worried that we would have to close the tavern today." Her robust figure wobbled from around the counter and over to the pair that hovered near the door. "Is the cargo ready for unloading?"

"All packed in a wagon and ready to be brought up here." A curly-haired girl replied cheerfully, pleased that they would be able to help the woman in her time of need. Her companion could have been less interested with the tavern keeper's welfare, but the amount of gold they would receive for this delivery… it was enough to make her care. "Hopefully one of your friends could help two pretty girls out? I fear that we're not strong enough to pull it up the incline…"

"If Polly here serves me one for free, I'm all for it." A large giant of a man interrupted, gaining the attention of the talking ladies as he leaned back in his chair. His muscles were huge! He would be the perfect person to drag up their cargo for them. Polly rolled her eyes at the sight of him.

"Always trying to get away from paying, aren't ya?" She placed her hands on her hips, her tone stern as she looked him over. It would work out mostly in her favour if she agreed, she supposed. "Fine. Try not to hassle my friends here too much now, would you?"

"Can't make any promises." The burly man pushed himself off of his seat, giving a cheeky grin at the two lasses that hovered by the doorway. Skye caught him scanning them down with a quick glance and rolled her eyes. The man sure was primitive in nature, wasn't he?

"We'll be back, Polly." Vanessa promised, giving a short wave before turning and leaving the tavern. The girl was clearly not too comfortable with the man that volunteered to help them, a fact that Skye noticed early on; the blonde was quick to plant herself between the two to act as a secure barrier for her friend. Skye herself was not too bothered by the guy – he wasn't talkative nor did he attempt to do anything bold or rash in their presence – but she had come to realize over her time as a Red Rogue that Vanessa instinctively felt discomforted around bulky figures. Skye could not really guess as to why this was, but she had a fair assumption that it was due to her friend's choice of weapon. Not many men of his size would be intimidated by the small blade, regardless of how well Vanessa could wield it.

Confidence issues or otherwise, Vanessa wouldn't have to worry about it. Skye tentatively put a hand on her holster to ensure her gun was still there. Nothing would happen; not under her watch.

As they came close to the Thalia, the man let out an admiring whistle. He had not pictured that the two girls he now accompanied would own such a well-built ship, as seemingly generic as it was. His eyes dashed across the surface, very carefully taking into account the minor rivets in the woodwork that otherwise disrupted a completely smooth texture. The average fellow might not have caught the matching slats that covered the small rectangular holes on the sides of the ship. Based on how many that he could see it could only mean one thing… this ship had some serious firepower. _Interesting_.

Vanessa had entered the ship to open the loading bay doors while Skye stood out near their visitor, seeing how intensely he dissected their ship with his eyes. He was either a very smart man hiding behind the veil of an otherwise average sailor to notice the value of the Thalia, or she was just over-thinking it. Besides the near unreadable expression he wore on his face, there was nothing to indicate that he was a suspicious character at all. Here was a guy that simply planned on working for the free booze he was promised once he finished. Skye groaned inwardly at herself. Vanessa's occasional timid nature was rubbing off on her. That was just great.

"So what's your name, big guy?" Skye saw the man slightly jump in surprise at the question directed at him; he had already resigned to the fact that they would not be speaking to him. He tore his gaze away from the ship to stare at the girl beside him, who was dwarfed by his tall and large frame.

"It's Gunthor." He spoke slowly, as if he didn't wish to admit it to the world or himself. A flash of uncertainty passed through his eyes in a moment, which the gunslinger did not notice. "Yours, lassie?"

"Oh, it's Skye." She broke the uncomfortable tension that had formed while they waited. Skye didn't actually care to know about this fellow at all – his gruff exterior gave her the impression that he was likely just a common thug – but the insufferable boredom she was near drowning in sparked such an interest within her. She gestured towards the loading bay, which was only just now opening. "My friend's Vanessa. You really think you can handle this?"

"You doubt the big guns?" Gunthor scoffed, flexing his arms to emphasize the strength that rippled through them. "It'll be a piece of cake. You just worry your small head over how you and your friend will struggle to keep pace with me, a'right?" He smirked, his ego inflating as the blonde shook her head despondently at the response. The loading bay doors gave a whine as they became stationary again; another few squeaks were heard as a large ramp abruptly burst out from a slit in the ship's floor and slammed into the side of the port. Gunthor was stunned at the sudden quake of the ground beneath him, but his mood quickly changed to one of ecstatic elation as he let out a hearty laugh.

"Theora, I told you to take it slow!" The voice was exasperated as it yelled at the pre-teen standing behind the control panel.

"It's not my fault!" Theora snapped back, unhappy at the negative air that had formed between them. "I did what you said but one of the springs must have been coiled too tightly!"

"Then why is that button still flashing? You were supposed to press it before you pulled the lever, you idiot." Vanessa smacked her own forehead in frustration.

"… Gee, what's got into you today?" Theora muttered; feeling disheartened as she watched her captain pace back and forth. "This isn't like you at all."

"Ugh, I know… I'm sorry, Theora." Vanessa felt sincere about that apology, though she was not too sure if it came off as one; the nervous energy she felt was driving her mad. Was she coming down with something? The last time she had felt this way, she had become quite ill the next morning; a memory that she did not want to have a repeated session with. Vanessa shook off the thought, turning her attention to the big man and Skye as they secured the ramp before walking on it.

"No need to apologize to the squirt, Nessa." Skye teased, her eyes glinting as they stared down the disgruntled brunette. Theora crossed her arms and turned away to instead have a sudden fascination with the crates that occupied the room. Skye wasn't going to ruffle her feathers, not today!

"So… is this it?" Gunthor touched the extended bar of the wagon lightly, his face showing signs that his ego had just been harshly popped by reality. The wagon's contents, make no mistake, were obnoxiously heavy in general, and with the rough incline to the town ahead of him…

"Yes." Skye stifled a snort she felt coming on as the man, whom had only just a moment before bustled with righteous confidence outside the ship, now wearily took his place behind the handles. She was looking forward to this moment; the one she personally was allowed to deliver as the crippling blow. Playing with a moron's feelings never became old. "You make sure to keep up with us, now! Can't keep good ol' Polly waiting, can we?" She received a weak laugh in reply while the man flexed his big arms in preparation for what was the come. Skye's mouth twitched in amusement as she thought back to the previous night, when Ivan had so effortlessly pulled along the same wagon up and down grassy slopes. Gunthor was all talk in comparison to the blind Ixa'takan lad.

"Theora, you'll _carefully_ close up after us, all right?" Vanessa told their pilot, who gave a mute nod. The girl had clammed up and refused to speak now, for whatever the reason. It drew a bit of concern from Vanessa, but she didn't have the time to question Theora's behaviour. She would ask later. "We'll be back once we've delivered the shipment."

With that said, the curly-haired pirate stepped out onto the port, taking a moment to attempt to relax and enjoy the cooling air. Skye followed her, giving her a whimsical smile as she nudged back in the direction from where they had just come from. Vanessa turned back to see what Skye was pointing out – oh, of course she would be making fun of the struggling man that slowly pulled the wagon behind him. If he was having that much difficulty on a flat surface, she couldn't imagine how he'd deal with the steep incline ahead.

Guess they'd just have to help him out when he got there.

* * *

"I'm so hot…" Aika complained for the fifth time since their Maramban adventure began, fanning herself futilely with her hand in an attempt to cool her face down. She groaned out loud, unable to help herself.

"So are we, but you don't see us complaining." Vyse retorted, still wearing his signature blue jacket over the black t-shirt. Fina did not speak, the tell-tale of her discomfort being the wiping of her brow with a white sleeve.

"The tavern has air-conditioning… if you need a place to cool down." A male voice interrupted them. Aika saw the man approach first; dhabu in tow as he crossed the desert terrain to reach them. Aika was glad that she was flushed from the humidity, because she could already feel her cheeks start to burn as she realized what a good looking man he actually was. The outfit was nothing too spectacular; a collection of various fabrics with nice patterns and a jester-style hat perched on his red mane, but his face and those hazel eyes…

"That's a great idea, thanks." Vyse wore a grateful smile, which the man returned in kind with his own caring gaze.

"To reach the tavern you will need to cross part of the desert… here, I will loan my dhabu to you. She can be a bit of a stubborn one," he tugged on the rope to prove his point, as the creature instinctively pulled back, "but she's fast and stable. You'll just need to click your tongue sometimes to get her attention."

"Oh wow, thanks!" Aika was excited. The beast was a strange breed of a liking she had never seen before, so that made the idea of riding it all the more thrilling. The dhabu appeared awkward to mount, as noted when the man was teaching Vyse on the proper way to get on the saddle, but overall it was a manageable affair. Vyse was left to sit on the creature's back as the man disappeared and then reappeared a moment later with two more dhabu for the girls.

"Take care of yourselves." He said as he assisted Aika and Fina onto their own mounts. "If you could bring them back to the stable over there," he gestured to a building that was removed from the main stretch of road, "that would be great."

"We will, friend." Fina spoke softly, before she ordered her dhabu with a flick of the reins to follow Vyse's departure. Aika hung back though, still staring at the red-haired man with a puzzled look on her face.

"Is there something on my face?" He asked playfully, snapping her out of her stupor.

"Oh, n-no… I was just going to ask what your name was." Aika stuttered, embarrassed. He gave a warm smile.

"My name's Milon. It's a pleasure to meet you, miss…?"

"Aika." She filled in, feeling more uncomfortably hot than before if that were even possible.

"Aika… That's a beautiful name. Well, Aika, I hate to cut this short, but your friends are waiting, and I must get back to work."

"R-right… Sorry for the hold up. I'll see you later!" Aika recomposed herself, gave him a cheerful wave, and kicked the dhabu hard with her shins. The dhabu had not expected such a harsh command and bolted away, leaving Milon to chuckle as the girl attempted to right herself and regain control of it. He was not concerned about Aika; he knew that she would be able to handle herself. He watched her struggle and then successfully manage to force the dhabu to slow down into a trot, hearing the sound of her male companion laughing as they trudged off together. Milon smiled at the sight before turning to head back to the stables. He always enjoyed interacting with tourists. They were much more lively and interesting than his fellow Nasr residents.

* * *

"I cannot thank you enough for your service." Polly gushed as the two pirates and Gunthor finished carrying in the boxes of loqua. Her backroom storage was now brimming with these crates, nearly overflowing with the sheer overabundance of the delivery. Each of them was red faced from the physical labour; the one worst off being Gunthor, who now collapsed back into his chair with the occasional wheeze. That hill had been an absolute nightmare – about halfway up the strain on his muscles had threatened to give way, and his pride was further hurt as the two girls had to assist him in completing the objective. Skye had opted to pull the wagon alongside Gunthor in the front while Vanessa chose the more precarious position of pushing from the back. It was a dangerous and reckless move, but Skye was still entertained that her friend would rather risk being struck by the cart than to be stuck pulling the wagon next to Gunthor.

Vanessa's distrust of the man had slowly eased up while they had been relocating the crates into the storage area, engaging in banter with the fellow as she handed him the loqua to stack up. They made pleasant conversation as Gunthor chose to tell her of his background a bit; how he decided to live his life as a mercenary for hire and was often paid to provide merchant vessels with on-board protection. He told her stories of how he had fought off pirates and monsters to ensure his employers made it to their destination safely. Vanessa was intrigued by the concept, though it was more because she had always been the person in the position that he would be protecting the ships from. Skye and she had a tendency of targeting merchants to steal most of their cargo.

"You must come back here soon!" Polly told the two of them, having clearly enjoyed the female company. In general she only had individuals like Gunthor to chat with, which admittedly could become dull after repeated visits. An idea formed in her head as the two girls were about to head out the door. "Oh, I know! How about you come back tonight? I'll serve you free food and loqua to show my appreciation, so please come."

"That isn't really necess-" Skye clamped her hand over Vanessa's mouth to stop her from finishing the sentence. They couldn't deny an offer for an expense-free meal!

"We'd love to, thanks. See you later!" and before Vanessa could say anything against it, Skye dragged her out the door.

END CHAPTER THREE

Author's Note: If this feels like a slightly abrupt ending, that's because it was spliced. With the plans for what is going to happen in the next few segments, Chapter Three would have been unusually long compared to the other chapters, and I generally like to try to keep a consistency for chapter length so that they're easy to dissect. Tune in next Thursday (I plan on updating every Thursday with a new chapter) to find out what happens next! :D


	4. Loitering in Taverns

Chapter 4: Loitering in Taverns

The cool air of the tavern was a welcoming presence to the heat-exhausted travelers that dragged themselves through the door, seeking a safe haven from the blazing sun. The air conditioned room brightened their moods immediately as they slowly allowed themselves to relax onto the provided floor mats sprawled rather haphazardly across the ground. The tavernkeep, although a cheerful fellow, had not decided to utilize his building space the best he could, and the overall décor of the room felt like it suffered as a result. This did not seem to matter to the weary newcomers, whom had just been grateful enough to receive complimentary water upon their entry.

"I never imagined that a place could be this stuffy…" Aika groaned; resting her elbows on the table as she unceremoniously dipped her head into her hands. "I do hope there aren't any other continents like this."

"There is not…" Fina murmured softly, pausing as she carefully took a sip from her pleasantly cool glass. "As you know, the moons over the regions affect their climates. None are so vengeful in temperature as the red and purple moons, though."

"Purple?" Vyse echoed, rubbing his exposed eye with a free hand as he took an ungraceful swig of his drink with the other. When he swallowed, feeling the liquid satisfy his parched throat, he continued. "Does that mean it's going to be cold?"

"Well duh." Aika sighed. "Have you not been paying attention to our recent fights? What did you think the purple elemental stone did, anyway?"

"It was a rhetorical question, Aika." Vyse frowned at his friend's apparent rudeness. He had always known that she was quick to become punchy when she was tired, but he was always surprised at the sudden outbursts whenever they appeared anyway. At least they hadn't been too frequent an ordeal; he doubted he would have remained such close friends with her if their personalities weren't compatible. "I was just trying to start up a conversation."

"Silence is golden sometimes…" Aika grumbled. Fina let out a soft chuckle as the red-head turned away, determined to stare keenly out of the back windows as if there was something to see beyond them. There was nothing but desert as far as the eyes could see, and though Aika found the sight a bit dull and depressing, she would not be deterred from her mission to soundly dismiss Vyse from her peripheral vision. Vyse met eye contact with Fina's and rolled his eyes before turning to face a small stage that rested before him. His attention had been diverted as the fire lamps on both ends of the platform had been ignited, signalling the beginning of the last performance of the afternoon. He started to take another sip of water as he slowly allowed himself to ease back into a comfortable position. He could do with a distraction.

That was when he first laid eyes on her. She had the most curvaceous and voluptuous figure he had ever seen, and as his eyes trailed down her perfectly tan skin he felt a knot forming in his throat. He swallowed in an attempt to rid himself of the feeling, failing to remember that he hadn't yet swallowed the water he had consumed while leaning back. The liquid, which only moments before had been a pleasant and relieving entity within him, had now become a fiery sensation that inflamed everything it touched as it painfully went down the wrong way. Vyse spluttered; hacking coughs as he desperately tried to calm himself. Fina threw him a concerned glance, and even Aika spared him a worried look as he slowly recomposed himself. When she saw what had caused such a reaction, her expression changed to one of rampant disapproval and turned away again to fervently ignore him. He could be so annoying sometimes!

"Are you all right?" Fina's voice carried over to him like a gentle whisper as his coughing began to subside. The Silvite was forever kind in her nature, despite how insecure she always seemed in these foreign environments. Curiosity sparkled in her eyes as she looked at him, not yet aware of what had caught Vyse so abruptly off guard. There didn't seem to be anything in the room to distract him; there was a purple-clad dancer with a veil wrapped around her face on the stage, two men situated nearby sitting cross-legged on the floor as they stared up at the stage, mesmerized… Even the tavernkeep, who had been dutifully polishing his collection of loqua mugs by the far counter, had dropped his rag and was watching transfixed as the red-head woman swayed in rhythm to music that was coming from who knows where.

Based on Aika's belligerent response to Vyse's sudden outburst, Fina supposed that it had nothing to do at all with the tune that appeared to have no source…

"We shouldn't rest here too long… we still need to find a ship." Aika had snapped back to her regular self, reenergized after the brief relaxation period and her moment of uncontained depression. She too had noticed the tinge of bitterness that had formed between her and Vyse in those moments; it was rare when it happened, but Aika hated to know that she was mostly to blame for this particular occasion. "Maybe we should try the docks?"

Posing an inquiry about the docks led Aika's mind to wander onto the event that had occurred only a short time ago on those very wood planks; where they had been faced with the harsh betrayal of their captain as he had ditched them with nary an inkling of concern for their well being. She looked at the ceiling as if they alone could provide an answer to a question she had not yet asked.

"I can't believe that Cap'n Drachma just left us here… I'm sure he had his reasons to leave, but I wish that he had said something sooner. He didn't have to leave us here in the desert, right Vyse?" Aika was met with suspended silence. Was he now mocking her earlier words in an attempt to get back at her? That didn't seem too likely; Vyse was not one to be vain. Then what…? "Vyse?"

Vyse was staring mutely ahead, his eyes partially glazed over as they followed the movement of something going on behind her. Aika had a suspicion about what could make him act so dumb, but her faith was praying that it was not what she thought it was. She twisted her neck about slowly, catching sight of the beautiful woman that was in the midst of performing what looked to be a cultural dance. The men were clearly digging it, but Aika could not understand why the seemingly random movements of the arms were so appealing. Perhaps it had something to do with the package that bounced ever so gently in their loose upper garment between those arms…

Aika spun her head back in the direction of her Blue Rogue companion, her fists tightening as she shot him the vilest glare she could muster. How could he be so stupid? Just how perverted was he?

"Vyse!!! Have you heard a single word I said?" She leaned forward heavily on her hands, her angered expression filling his vision while he raised an arm in instinctive defence in his surprise.

"Um… Y… Yeah. I'm listening." Vyse stuttered. He could not help it, feeling her turbulent emotions radiate from her quivering body. "You were talking about the desert." That didn't seem to be the right answer, as Aika's eyelids drooped and her mouth was hung ajar as she seemed at a loss at what to say to him. The words came quick to her, however.

"You're acting like you've never seen a girl before… If you could pry your eyes away from that dancer for a few seconds…"

"Heh, sorry… I'll stop staring." He gave her a cheesy grin as he inched very slightly away from her, finding her close scrutinizing proximity rather uncomfortable. If he had not already begun to sweat from their outdoor endeavours, he had no doubt that he would have began to perspire from his embarrassment. Well, that wouldn't have been the only reason… "Okay, okay. It's just that she's a good dancer… I didn't want to insult her by uh…" He paused, fetching for the first excuse to pop into his head, "looking away. New lands, new customs, y'know."

"What kind of excuse was that!?" Aika snapped, clearly agitated. She should have expected that he would try, but she never would have imagined that his attempt would be so lame. "You're undressing her with your eyes… not that it would take that long." She added, throwing a snide look in the direction of the dancer. "You weren't zooming in, were you?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Vyse hastily apologized, wishing nothing more than to ease the tension that he had most certainly caused. He felt silly for having judged Aika before; she was clearly not the only victim of the unbearable heat they had endured outside. Only Fina was still perfectly composed, sipping from her glass eloquently as she quietly allowed her two friends to banter about whatever they could find to be confrontational. He felt envious of this unwavering characteristic in her personality. He sure wished he had it right now, as his mind continued to wander back to the dancer on the stage. "But seriously, don't you think she's looked over here more than just a few times? I think she likes me."

It took a few moments to process what he had said. Was he serious? She slowly turned to face Fina, unconvinced.

"Yeah… right." Aika muttered. When she spoke to Fina, she made sure to strengthen her words; added volume to them. "Fina, will you try and talk some sense into him?"

Fina blinked in bewilderment at the question, holding a fashionably shiny fork absentmindedly near her mouth as she cocked her head slightly to the left. Whether it was because she had just come to the realization that she had been holding a fork without any food on it or she was confused at the question was anyone's guess. They all came to the reasonable understanding a moment later.

"… Do you really find it that hard to believe?" Fina started, righting her head once more. Her cheeks slightly flushed with what she spoke next. "Well, Vyse is very attractive… I don't think it would be strange at all if that dancer was looking at him."

"Haha… You're kidding, right?" Aika's laugh was weak in disbelief at what she was hearing. She should have known that Fina wouldn't back her up on this; the fair-haired teen was usually as diplomatic as possible concerning pretty much anything that was thrown at her. Still, it was slightly weird to hear another woman call Vyse attractive. Aika herself had never even thought about it before. "Vyse wouldn't want someone like her… I mean… Who knows where she's been?" Fina's face paled as her eyes darted between Aika and the approaching newcomer, hoping that her friend would catch the hint. Fortunately Aika did notice that Fina's eyes were now focused on something behind her to the right, so she swiftly turned to be met with the sight of long, purple-clad legs. Her eyes followed the length of the visitor's body until she found the partially covered face looking back down at her. Aika had assumed the pose that Vyse had not too long before, when she had pressured him for his attention; stutters, raised arm and all. "Oh, umm…. I, so umm… Do you travel a lot?"

"Tell me something." The woman dodged Aika's pathetic question completely, getting right to the point. "You wouldn't happen to be the group of Air Pirates that escaped from the Grand Fortress now, would you?" This was entirely directed at Vyse, a fact provided by the way her green eyes held such an inquisitive stare towards him.

"Huh?" Vyse was caught in surprise for what felt like the umpteenth time these last fifteen minutes. "How did you know about that?"

"Well, if you hang out in places like this, you overhear all kinds of things… rumours, local gossip, news about the other lands…" She paused, taking the time to comfortably situate herself between Vyse and Aika on the ground. She leaned in, her voice almost a whisper. "… You even hear stories about Air Pirates needing a ship. If you want, I can give you a lift. What do you say?" Vyse's facial expression transformed immensely with gratitude at the offer.

"Really?! Thanks! That'll help us a lot!" Vyse's enthusiasm was not shared by his companions.

"Wait a second. Why would you help us? You don't even know who we are." Aika's tone hinted at obvious suspicion towards an offer that was too good to be true.

"Let's just say that anyone who can escape from the Valuan Grand Fortress… interests me." The dancer was scanning Aika's face, which had formed into one of contempt as her eyes threw daggers as a challenge. The Nasr resident stood up, taking a moment to take in a deep breath as she knew the standoffish red head would not give her much more time to speak. She closed her eyes and then opened them, staring back down at Aika as she spoke again. "My name is Bellena. I'll begin making preparations. Meet me at the port first thing tomorrow morning. See you around, handsome." She playfully blew them all a kiss, winked, and slunk back on the stage to finish up her dancing routine.

"Right, that's it!" Aika pushed herself up from the ground, her temper flaring through her obvious restraint. "Let's check into the inn and call it a day."

"It's… only mid-afternoon…" Vyse mumbled, his eyes glancing back and forth between the dancer and his two female friends. Fina had stood up as well, though she had abruptly turned to thank the tavernkeep for the supplied water. She really was gracious towards any kind gesture, no matter how small it was.

"More time to relax without any blaring music to give us a headache." Aika retorted, walking around the table to grab Vyse roughly by the arm. She hauled him up with minimal effort; her emotions empowering her to move quickly. If she was going to have to deal with Bellena, she would rather that the inconvenience started tomorrow. Vyse grumbled in protest but did not resist, allowing her to pull him away from the stage and out the door. Fina scrambled to catch up as they had begun to leave her behind in their hasty retreat.

As they reached the three dhabu that they had left tied to a post, Fina reminded them that they had promised Milon that they would return the creatures to the stable. Aika's mood seemed to brighten significantly at the mere prospect of seeing the red-head again, a fact sorely noted by Vyse, who said that what Milon was to Aika, Bellena was to him. Fina giggled at the comparison, knowing that both Milon and Bellena were red-heads that preferred to wear their hair in ponytails rather than let it wildly cascade down their backs. As they approached the stableman again, they could see why he'd prefer to wear it back. Not only would it look slightly odd, but it would likely fall in his face while he was trying to work. Taking care of the dhabu did not seem like the most thrilling job in the world, but that was not something they were going to say out loud.

"Safe travels to you three. Come visit me again if you have the chance." Milon was pleasant, giving them all polite nods of acknowledgment and farewell that they each (Vyse more reluctantly than the girls) returned in kind. With their tasks complete, there was nothing left for them to do but eat a delightfully bland meal at the inn and turn in early. The heat from the sun had completely drained them. While Aika was still excited about the idea of exploring the temple and looting treasure that was to be found, there was a new worry that had cropped up while they relaxed on top of their mattresses. If merely exploring Maramba had left them this exhausted, how would they fare tomorrow, when they would be venturing through a temple that was located in the midst of a desert? Guess there was only one way to find out.

* * *

"How come I'm not allowed to go?" Theora pouted, crossing her arms in discontent as the two older Red Rogues chatted about the offer that Polly had extended to them. Vanessa had not wanted to take her up on it, despite how generous it was, but Skye had quickly intervened and accepted the invitation before she could decline. Skye had explained on the way back that it would give her friend the opportunity to not cook for the night, for one; a fact that became inaccurate as soon as they had boarded the Thalia once more. So persistent was she in denying Theora's existence that Skye had, for a short time, forgotten about her entirely. Now the pleasant bliss she had felt while she playfully teased her companion made sense. There was no extra baggage to distract her.

"Rowdy drunk men hang out around the tavern at night… It wouldn't be safe for you to go." Vanessa replied, heading slowly for the ladder that would bring her to the ship's lower floors. She was going towards the kitchen with both comrades in tow, much to her dismay. She could already feel the impending argument looming over the three of them.

"But it's not safe for you either!" Theora pointed out, aghast. "Just because you're just a few years older than me –"

"More than a few years squirt." Skye abruptly interrupted from behind them. "Besides, that's not what Nessa here was getting at, but she's too kind to point out your thick headedness while you blindly overlook the facts."

"Oh, like you're any better!" The young girl griped, turning to face the blonde with a look of pure repugnance. "You're always off getting into some sort of trouble and Vanessa and I have to bail you out from them!" Skye scoffed at the mere idea the brunette was proposing.

"You, help me? Ridiculous; you don't do shit for me." Skye mimicked the girl's pout and crossed arms, clearly making the most with her talent of mockery. "You never do anything but spin a wheel and crank a few levers. You're nothing special. You don't even help out with cleaning the ship when it needs maintenance."

"Like you do anything either!" Theora snapped; aggravation elevating in her tone as her voice began to quake. "Oh look at me, I'm a pretty blonde with incredibly abysmal accuracy that gets by on pretending to shoot things rather than actually hit them. I don't do anything to help out with the ship's welfare either, but I feel like I have the right to judge others based on their 'usefulness' when I do absolutely nothing myself. Gee I'm so special!" Theora's eyes narrowed as Skye's face began to wear an indignant scowl. "Oh, did I touch a nerve? I'm sorry; I guess I'm too _thick-headed_ to realize that I can potentially hurt someone's feelings when I'm _trying_ to make them suffer."

"That's it! I'm not putting up with this shit any longer!" A growl and a fierce bang resonating from the walls caught Vanessa's attention, who had been desperately trying to tune out the escalating war behind her. At the sound of a sharp intake of pain, however, she whirled around in her spot to find what the clamouring was about.

Skye had roughly seized Theora and had slammed her into the wall, pressing her back hard against the railing as the girl cried out in alarm. Her back ached from the wood that dug into her, struggling to kick out of the lock that the snarky pirate had placed her in. Skye's grip did not ease up on Theora's collar as she lifted her into the air before promptly throwing her across the length of the hallway. She watched as the blue-wearing girl skidded across the floor, exposed legs burning as they rubbed against the rough texture. Tears had sprung in Theora's eyes as she slowly pushed herself up, turning to face the blonde wearing a smirk and the horrified expression of the knife wielder.

"I… I remember when you b-both used to be fun…" Theora whispered, trying to control the sobs that threatened to escape her throat. "I-I was proud to call you my friends. I guess nothing ever stays the same…" She stumbled backward a step, though she caught herself before she fell. She said nothing more, her impassioned eyes telling the full story. She turned and fled from them, rounding the corner and slamming a nearby door. She had just locked herself in the storage compartment.

"Well good riddance." Skye muttered, sticking out her tongue at the empty hallway before her. "No one speaks to me that way and gets away with it." She turned, starting to say something to the peer that remained beside her, but her words failed to come as she was sharply struck on the face with a well-timed slap. The pain was so sudden and startling that water sprang from her own eyes as she tentatively touched her stinging cheek, cupping her hand over it as if to ease the pain with its presence alone. Vanessa withdrew, almost looking ashamed as she held her reddening hand as the tell-all evidence of what had just transpired. Her eyes implored for Skye to understand what had just happened and why she had acted on it, though she said nothing as she turned and walked into the kitchen to prepare Theora's evening meal. Sometimes silence could be golden, if handled right.

For Skye, being left to stand alone in the midst of a quiet hallway without anyone to speak with was unbearable. To her, this silent treatment was far worse than any lecture that Vanessa could have given. She slowly reached the open doorway of the kitchen, catching sight of the curly-haired girl cutting various vegetables for a salad she was making. A pot of ravioli had just been placed on the stove.

"Vanessa…" Her voice felt lethargic as it only momentarily attracted the attention of the one it was meant for.

"Not now, Skye. There is work to be done." It was a resolute dismissal. There could be no arguing with that vindicated tone.

"I… I'll see you later, then…" Skye wanted to elucidate and provide ample reasons to support her argument, but now was not the time. She sighed, rubbing her cheek again as the reminder for what had just happened. She'll talk to Vanessa later… she'd understand then, or so Skye hoped.

* * *

The trip to the tavern had been very awkward as neither of the two older teens had decided to speak to the other; the event that had transpired shortly before evidently hovering over their heads as they wearily approached the lively hub of the island. Some stores had begun to close up as visitors began to check into the inn or inhabit the local bar – the thriving building made Vanessa grimace, as she was never particularly a fan of crowds. It was one thing to have throngs of consumers in the marketplace; it was quite another for them all to gather in their drunken states at the local watering hole. This was the main reason why she had planned on denying Polly's request; the harassment they were both sure to receive tonight from sensual men was not something she was sure she could tolerate. She was already slightly irritated as it was, and she almost feared that she would be pulling her knife out before the night was over. She was certain that Polly would not remain amiable towards her if she did.

"You made it! Come this way, I've set up a table just for the two of you." Polly was clearly ecstatic that the two had shown up just as promised, completely overlooking the somber mood that lingered over both Skye and Vanessa as they took their seats around a well prepared table. It had been set up deliberately away from the other tables to provide them with adequate space and privacy. Vanessa was slightly brightened that she would not have to sit near any drunken dunces tonight. Skye did not seem to care about the environment around them; her attention was entirely focused on the exquisite plates of steak that rested on the table before them.

"I hope this is to your liking." Polly spoke, reappearing with two bottles of loqua in her hands. "It's not often that I deal with merchants as kind as the two of you, so I wish to repay your kindness with some of my own. All you can eat or drink, on the house."

"Oh Polly, you needn't be so generous." Vanessa protested, though Polly merely waved her denial off with a flick of her wrist as she poured some loqua into an empty glass before her. "Surely we didn't do anything out of the ordinary to receive such praise…"

"You actually assisted in hauling up the shipment, for one." Polly said, pouring more of the intoxicating liquid into Skye's own glass. The blonde eagerly began to drink it as soon as she was done, feeling much more chipper as she could feel the soft buzz of the drink in her system. "Most merchants fear the hill and I have to drag up the supplies me'self. Certainly does no favours on my back or mood, that's for sure."

"Really?" Vanessa's eyes widened. "I thought it was customary for merchants to deliver their cargo to the exact location that is requesting them?"

"Aye, but in this day and age it is hard to find people willing enough to help. I can't claim to be ignorant as to why, though. Loqua, while profitable in nature, is heavy to carry around, and that hill is no laughing matter as I'm sure you've already found out." Polly sighed. "Occasionally I can get greedy fellas who want free beverages to assist me, but otherwise I'm on my own. That's why I am thanking you both with this meal… You did not demand nor fake me out in this delivery; you promptly got the job done and even got a relatively selfish guy to help. That is no small feat, I must say." She laughed; her voice melodic over the gruff male banter of the room.

"Oh, no, it really was nothing…" Vanessa gave the plump woman a warm smile. "If I'm ever in the area while you're acquiring a shipment, I'd love to help you out."

"That would be fantastic!" Polly exclaimed; her enthusiasm heart-felt as she actually stooped down to give Vanessa a short hug. "I knew you two were good eggs as soon as I saw ya. Your type is hard to come by, I must say."

"Polly!" A rather boisterous voice called to her from the bar counter, beckoning for service. "Come 'ere, I want more of your booooozeeeee." Polly frowned at how slurred the man's speech had become, but that did not stop her from politely dismissing herself from their table to fulfill the man's wish and serve him another mug of loqua. Although she disliked how barbarous her customers could become from consuming her supplies, it earned her a fair amount of gold that she wouldn't pass up on. Capitalism was at the forefront of all businesses, of course.

"What did you do that for?" Skye finally spoke, setting down her finished glass of loqua and reaching for Vanessa's untouched one. "Offering to help her, I mean. That sounds a bit… Blue Roguish to me there, lass. Do I have to remind you what principle that the Red Rogues were based on?"

"To be the opposite of them, yes I know." Vanessa rolled her eyes, taking a moment to take back her glass before Skye could drain it of its contents. "Pillage and plunder and kill all those in our way, yadda yadda. No worries, I haven't gone soft. I just don't think it's… fair that Polly has to do everything on her own."

"Oh no, a tavernkeep that does her job, the insanity. Well, guess I won't stop you miss, but I'm telling you now – I'm not helping with this. One of us has to keep up our reputation, at least."

"I wasn't going to ask, no worries." The curly-haired teen stretched, staring down ravenously at the steak. She hadn't realized just how hungry she was; something they both noticed as they greedily devoured their own portions while attempting to steal the other's food. Their playful natures would become increasingly rampant as they downed more of the liquid and fought with their forks to consume the other person's salad. The stress and concerns from earlier in the day had dissipated entirely as the two laughed as loud as the others in the room and engaged in humorous conversation with Polly as she frequently came over to visit them.

"Moons, this food is so good! I wish I could cook like this." Vanessa gave a content sigh as she rubbed her stomach, feeling the most full she had in a long while.

"Y-You can." Skye spluttered out, giggling as she heard her voice slurring from one too many drinks. "Your f-food is b-beautifulll… just like youuu…"

"Aw, shucks." Vanessa blushed, appearing shy as Skye fluttered her eyelashes in her direction. "You must be drunk; you're hitting on me again."

"Is it not appealing to you?" Skye pushed herself off of her seat, taking a staggering step forward to fall haphazardly onto Vanessa's lap. More giggles as she delightfully wrapped her arms around Vanessa's legs. "So comfy… love me?"

"Sorry miss…" Vanessa whispered, running her fingers down the mass of blonde hair that took up residence on her. "This is not the time or place, and I don't swing that way." There was a hint of amusement in her tone as she gently pried Skye's grip off of her. The pirate slid down and landed on the floor, a sad and yet entirely unintelligible murmur escaping her as she hazily stared up at the one she loved. Vanessa laughed, hauling Skye up to place her back in her seat. She spared a quick glance around the room, observing the drinking games that were going on around the other tables. She caught Polly approaching and filled with relief. "Polly? Could I ask you a quick favour?"

"What is it, hun?" The woman stopped, scanning them both down and noting right away of how far down the chaotic tube of drunkenness the two of them were. She gave a whimsical smile.

"I'm finding it unbearably stuffy in here… I want to go out for some fresh air. Could you look after Skye for a few minutes for me? I don't want her to be left alone while the guys play their obnoxious games… if you know what I mean." She shot suspicious looks at the men she spoke of, knowing full well that one of them would likely take advantage of her friend if she wasn't accounted for.

"Sure, that's not a problem. Take care of yourself though, 'right?" Polly took Vanessa's seat, watching as the blonde reached for her departing friend.

"Wait, I looooveee youuuu, come back…" Skye's breath caught in her throat, her depression soon forcing her to emit some sobs. Polly was taken aback by this powerful display of emotion, though she knew that the loqua was just amplifying the girl's feelings.

"Take it easy there, she'll be back." Polly chuckled, opening a bottle of loqua for herself. "Just stay put, she'll only be a few minutes." Skye grumbled, slouching in her seat as she mournfully watched her friend exit the building. She _better_ be back soon…

Vanessa felt relieved as she stepped out into the cool night, feeling the gentle breeze brush against her warm face. She walked over to the side of the building and sat down, using the wall to support her back as she gazed up at the stars and moon. Everything looked slightly blurry – she knew she had drunk too much as soon as her head had begun to pound, but she was having too much fun to care. She had lost count of how much she and her friend had consumed… knowing them, it did not bode well when they would wake up in the morning. They often had killer hangovers and poor Theora was left to take care of them.

Vanessa frowned, feeling displeased at herself. She normally was a lot more responsible than this, so why was she acting so immature? She had felt her limit coming as she consumed mug after mug, but she was reckless and just had to go over and beyond her comfort zone. She would certainly regret it later, as she was now.

"Hey there, lass. Been wondering when you'd show up." Vanessa jumped at the sudden sound, having not seen anyone else when she came out. Had she been followed?

"Who's there?" She demanded; her hand on the hilt of her knife immediately as she restlessly looked around, finding no trace of the source of where the voice was coming from.

"Forgot me already? That's a shame, for I certainly haven't forgotten you." She heard a loud thump in front of her as his large boots landed on the ground. He had been waiting on the roof? Though the voice sounded vaguely familiar, that wasn't what clued her in on who it was. No, what got her heart pumping was the sight of the blurry bulky frame before her, his distinctly large recognizable jacket being the true indication of who he was.

"Gunthor…" It came out as no more than a mere whisper. The man chortled at the mention of his name.

"So you do remember, hmm? Sober enough to still process such information? You, my dear, fascinate me." There was something in the way he spoke that Vanessa did not like; that felt sinister in nature. She bumbled to stand up, still pressing her back against the wall as she drew out her blade.

"Leave me alone." She warned, feeling a lot weaker than she sounded. She should have heeded her intuitive distrust of the man, but she had fallen for his simple stories… Vanessa once more felt ashamed of herself, knowing that the situation she was in would quickly become sticky.

"I must admit that I am surprised that you and your friend did not recognize my name truly, though." Gunthor told her, drawing out one of his own weapons – a pistol. He pointed it directly at her face. "Gunthor is not a common name by any stretch of the imagination. Where have you heard it before, dearie?"

"I don't care." Vanessa spat out.

"Oh, but you should. Does Gunthor of the Black Pirates ring any bells?" He smirked, taking a short and yet still intimidating step closer.

"Can't say it does." She retorted stubbornly. She would not admit to the hollowness she felt inside at the mention of his name, though. A Black Pirate? They were the worst kind of Air Pirates in the sky, and if he was here, in an area that was renowned for the anarchist group kidnapping women whenever they felt like it… oh, no.

It wasn't often that Vanessa felt fear in the face of adversary. Tonight, in her aloof state, however… she was terrified.

She made the first move, knowing that if she didn't that he would be able to overpower her with his muscle and weapon. She stabbed him in the arm that wielded the gun, taking advantage of the howl of displeasure he emitted as she raced to wrestle the weapon out of his hand. Their furious efforts forced the gun into the air before it fell a short distance away from their fight. Vanessa grabbed the hilt of her blade and roughly withdrew it from his skin before he could use it as his own. It didn't seem to matter as Gunthor saw that she had left herself exposed in that moment; his free fist slammed into her side as she tried to take a step away from him. She gave a winded gasp of pain, unable to recover in time as he seized her and chucked her into a stack of empty wooden barrels. The stack collapsed on top of her, her body and arms in particular suffering abuse as she weakly used them to shield her face. It would do her no good if she was knocked out from the sudden blows to the head.

Vanessa dizzily threw a barrel in his direction, taking note of how sloppy her aim was at it sailed harmlessly by him. Her whole world was spinning – she could feel the dinner she had just eaten rising in her throat from having been tossed around. She worriedly stumbled backwards as she only just realized that Gunthor had retrieved his gun and was walking at a leisurely pace towards her. She had lost, badly. If she put up any more resistance he was sure to kill her.

"Now…" His voice was calm as he stopped just a few feet short from where she lay sprawled on the broken barrels. "While this has been fun, and you've definitely proved why you would be a valuable… asset to the Black Pirates… I tire of your futile struggle. Now get up and come here, or –" His gun gave a click as it signalled it was ready to fire, "lights out for you permanently, lassie."

Terror seized her heart as he again pointed the gun at her, knowing full well that this time he wouldn't tolerate any of her attempted shenanigans. What was she going to do? Vanessa could feel the stubbornness that made her a fine Red Rogue telling her to remain defiant until her dying breath, but the more reasonable side of her personality was telling her to obey, to stay alive. Neither scenario would benefit her in either way, but…

"Fine…" She coughed, feeling her muscles scream in agony as she pushed herself slowly off the ground. She took a small and weary step towards him, feeling defeated as she saw her weapon stuck uselessly in the dirt in the far distance. His grin grew wider as he reached for her –

The gunshot rang loudly in their ears as the sound vibrated against the walls in the alleyway, hope filling the curly-haired pirate as she witnessed Gunthor's gun sail straight over the edge. He swivelled around in disbelief, glowering as he caught sight of the wavering blonde that stood at the sole opening of the alley, whose face was contorted into one of righteous anger. Vanessa, seeing the slim opportunity that presented itself to her, used the moment he turned around to race past him and pull out her knife from the ground. Gunthor growled as he discovered that the only leverage he had against the blonde had just escaped from him. He couldn't take on the two of them at once; not without any weapons or backup.

"Get out of here." Skye commanded, firing a warning shot in his direction. It whizzed by his head; too close for comfort. "I don't miss twice."

"I know when I've lost." Gunthor snorted, walking slowly towards them with his arms raised. "Beaten by two drunken girls… if the guys find out, I'll never hear the end of this." He paused in his walk, taking the time to stare deeply into both of their eyes. Vanessa found the gesture unsettling and subconsciously inched behind Skye as he passed by, heading in the direction of the port. They watched together in silence as he disappeared from their sight. When he had, Skye whirled around in her spot and clasped Vanessa's shoulders with her hands, scanning her friend up and down with worry etched across her face.

"He didn't hurt you, did he? Because I swear, if he did…"

"I'm fine." Vanessa lied, knowing that the pain was more than just physical. Her pride had been stomped into the dirt, but she couldn't tell her friend that. It was too humiliating.

"Glad to hear it…" Skye murmured, cupping her hand under Vanessa's chin. She could tell by the way her friend occasionally winced that she was not being honest with her, but she knew that Vanessa was only trying to salvage what was left of her ego.

"How'd you know to come out?" Vanessa asked aloud. "I appreciate the assist, by the way…"

"You were taking too long and I got antsy…" _and our table was right next to the wall where the barrels were stacked_, Skye thought to herself.

"Oh… all right." Vanessa gave her friend a half-hearted smile, completely unaware that she was tearing up. Her sight was too hazy to have noticed the difference anyway. She pulled Skye into a strong embrace, her gratitude pouring out of her in one swoop. "Skye, I love you too… just wanted to let you know."

And so there they stood in the disembodied alleyway, their two forms illuminated solely by the light of the silver moon. They would remain here for a few minutes, savouring each other's company in silence.

"Let's get back inside… I have to apologize to Polly." Skye grabbed Vanessa's hand and tenderly led her to the entrance of the tavern.

"Why? What happened?"

"She tried to stop me from leaving. I punched her in the face."

"Oh."

END CHAPTER 4


	5. Shameful Shenanigans

Chapter 5: Shameful Shenanigans

"I'm… not happy with you." Skye spluttered out, her face resting on the rim of the toilet bowl as she stared blearily at the wall ahead. Her glasses had been taken off and now rested neatly in one of the retracting cabinets underneath the sink, out of harm's way from its user's current precarious position. Her blonde hair was an absolute frazzled mess, unkempt from the adventures of the night before. Vanessa dutifully held Skye's long hair in one hand, combing it with her fingers with the other as she tried to work out some of the kinks. She did not want Skye's hair to get in the way should she fatefully retch the contents of her stomach out again without warning. Vanessa's hand paused in its downward descent when the garbled sentence was spoken, an eyebrow raised.

"Oh? Might I ask why, dear?" Vanessa's voice was soft, knowing that loud noises would only further irritate the splitting headache that Skye was currently suffering from. It had always been like this. After a night of drinking together, the next day Vanessa would assume the role of caretaker to look after her sickly friend. Hangovers never meshed too well with the blonde, as evidenced by how they were currently camped out in the bathroom. Theora had been instructed to fly the ship towards Maramba to ensure that she would not stumble upon them in their current state. The situation that would have transpired from that was heavily unwanted by both sides. Skye held up her head to reply, but the words never came out as her body suddenly broke into convulsions for the third time that morning. Vanessa grimaced as it all came up at once; the sound of her friend's regurgitating making her own stomach feel queasy as she faithfully stood there, rubbing Skye's back comfortingly as the fallen pirate miserably grumbled something incomprehensible. Vanessa took one step towards the sink, refilling the glass with water so that Skye could swish out the disgusting taste in her mouth. The ailing teen accepted it gratefully, spitting it into the bowl before wearily pulling the lever nearby. Soon the rank bowl filled with a pleasantly calm and clear canvas of water, teasing her with its pristine nature as she knew it would not remain that way for long.

"This position… it's always me here." Skye mumbled unhappily. "You… drink as much as I do, but… it's always me here. It's not fair."

"I don't drink as much as you do." Vanessa's tone was light as she began combing Skye's hair again.

"Close enough, though…" Skye sighed; not bothering to turn her head to face her companion as she instead slowly relaxed her head on the rim once more. "You never get ill from it; not fair…"

"Trust me when I say that I do, Skye." Vanessa closed her eyes for a moment, revisiting the memories of the night before. "It just happens when you're passed out is all."

"Oh… guess that makes sense." Skye had never thought about the hours that she restlessly slept through, with no recollection as to when she had first slipped into unconsciousness to begin with. "I'm sorry I'm never there for you."

"It's fine, don't worry about it." Vanessa's lips formed a small smile. "You're there for me when it truly counts; that's all that matters." She was referring to last night's attempted kidnapping; an event that she was quick to dismiss when the blonde had previously brought it up. Vanessa quite simply did not wish to discuss it, and despite Skye's constant prodding the teen had refused to open up. Vanessa proclaimed that she was fine and that was all there was to it, though she didn't mask the pain well on her face as she moved around…

The room abruptly shook, causing Vanessa to stumble back into the wall while Skye tightened her grip around the bowl for support. The harsh movements were doing her unsettled stomach no favours as her face suddenly took on a ghastly greenish tint.

"Squirt is so doing this on purpose…" Skye groaned, one hand wiping the perspiration off her brow while the other supported her position on the floor. Vanessa winced as she pushed herself off the wall to reach clumsily for the counter. When she pulled herself up to it, she switched on the intercom in the room.

"Theora, what's happening?" Vanessa demanded, silenced as another quake rippled through the ship. There was static for a moment, and then –

"Oh thank the moons! I've been trying to contact you for ages!" Theora sounded out of breath and panicked, but a hint of relief crept into her voice as she established communication with the two other members of the Thalia crew. "We're being attacked!"

"By who?" It was a question Vanessa wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer to.

"Black Pirates!" was the squeaked reply. "We're sitting ducks unless one of you can operate the cannons!" Vanessa turned to face her blonde friend, who was still slouched and appearing absolutely miserable on the floor. She could not ask Skye to move from that spot; it wouldn't be fair.

"Did she say Black Pirates?" Skye had perked up at the name, eyes shining as they stared up at her fellow companion.

"She did." Vanessa confirmed quickly, on full alert as she rushed for the door. "I'll take care of this round, all right? Hang tight, this should be over soon."

"B-but you've never fired the cannons before!" Her protest went unheard as Vanessa exited to head for the same cannons they spoke of, for which Skye now had a reasonable fear that they would instead blow up in her friend's face. For the most part they were relatively easy to use, but a few of them she had forgotten to report could be a bit finicky if not used in a particular way…

The flight to the Temple of Pyrynn had been a mostly quiet and somber journey, as each of the small Nasr ship's attendants were mostly in deep personal reflection after the conversation that had occurred on the docks. When Aika had pressed for a solid answer as to why Bellena was helping them (again, as it seemed there was no adequate reason as to why the red head would go out of her way for them), the dancer had quite suddenly turned serious and emotional. She had told them the tragic tale of her family; how her father was a poor man and enlisted in the war against Valua in an attempt to support her mother and herself. It was a valiant attempt, but he had ended up killed in battle, leaving his wife and daughter with absolutely nothing. Bellena's mother had died of heartbreak soon after, leaving the girl to grow up and fend for herself. She did not want to see a repeat of this happening to anyone else, and that was why she had chosen to support them in their cause.

Aika in particular had felt the pang of sympathy and guilt, for she understood what it was like to grow up without her parents there to support her. She could remember the many restless nights; her eyes stinging from the tears that refused to stop cascading down her face. In her small hands she would clutch the single framed photo she possessed of the three of them, memories flooding her thoughts as she strained to keep them intact. Revisiting those times, Aika knew she had been a thoughtless jerk to Bellena. Of course the woman would have sufficiently deep reasons to help them. Aika was just naturally paranoid and suspicious of strangers… especially those that felt the need to hit on her childhood friend. She was way too old for him – the thought alone grossed her out.

"That must be it!" Vyse exclaimed, directing their attention to a rather majestic and ancient structure on the horizon. His adventuring soul was already stirring with much excitement as he laid eyes upon it, knowing that they would be traversing many floors and uncovering much treasure during their search for the Red Crystal. Fina appeared beside them, staring at the structure that Vyse so enthusiastically pointed to.

"Yes… You're right, Vyse. We will find it there." Fina gave one of her standard smiles, to which he could only reply with a big grin.

Bellena was silent for most of the trip, piloting her small ship as the Blue Rogues fought off the monsters that dared to hinder their progress. She made idle chat occasionally with anyone that visited her in the bridge, but the conversations were never too in-depth – the two girls and Vyse were more invested in their thoughts after their talk on the port of Maramba. It was to be expected; she guessed… they seemed to be facing some darker demons in their minds after she revealed her purpose to them. Well, parts of it, anyway…

"It's HUGE!" Any trace of depression from the earlier ride had entirely vanished from the red-head goggle wearing girl, who now waved her hands around at the magnificent sight before them as if to emphasize her point. It was amazing. Vyse was in disbelief that the people of the Old World could build such a place in such humid conditions, not to mention the terrain that it rested on – sand. It was incredible.

The Silvite was able to contain her enthusiasm (or lack of) much better than her friends, however.

"According to our lore, the Red Crystal is guarded by hordes of monsters. We must be careful."

"Well then, let's get going!" Regardless of the danger Fina hinted at, nothing could erase Aika's enormous smile. Not even when she realized she had nearly forgotten something. "Oh, Bellena? What are you going to do?" The dancer answered simply without hesitation.

"I'll be waiting here. And besides… I won't be able to help you fight off monsters in this outfit."

"Well, it might be a little rough in there for a beautiful woman like yourself…" Vyse mumbled, earning a cold glare from Aika.

"Come on, Fina. Let's go get it without him."

"Hehehe… That might be kind of fun. We'd probably get it faster without him." Vyse groaned, realizing what he had said.

"Aw, come on guys, I didn't mean…" Bellena laughed. The three of them easily cheered her up with their random silliness. They were such good friends to each other… it lightened her up a bit just to be able to witness it. "We'll be back before you even notice we're gone." Vyse cut into her thoughts, to which she responded with a nod. Aika and Fina each gave small waves before they headed up the stairs to the entrance; Vyse scrambling behind to catch up. Bellena watched their forms as they became smaller in her vision the higher they climbed. Eventually they disappeared entirely. She closed her eyes.

OH NO MONSTER BATTLE

Vanessa soon learned that some of the cannons were faulty at best and one explosive ended up exploding in the barrel of the cannon, filling the room with a ghastly haze of gray to choke in. Her haphazard aiming was iffy at best; completely nailing the assailing ship on the rare occasion but mostly missing the mark completely, filling the pirate with an unusual sense of worthlessness. She had just discovered an activity that her performance was less than stellar with… and what poor timing to come to this realization.

Fortunately Theora's piloting more than made up for Vanessa's lack of cannon operating ability; she expertly dodged projectiles and used floating rocks as cover to protect their ship. The Thalia only suffered a few hits as a result, all of which could easily be repaired when they docked in Maramba. Despite this advantage, the Black Pirates were still in full pursuit, and from Theora's vantage point she could tell that they were coming closer. A shred of fear flooded the young girl's emotions just then – she knew as well as anyone what the Black Pirates were intending to do. She could not let them board their ship. If they succeeded…

"W-What?" Theora's heart stopped for a moment as a cannon whizzed by from the east across her field of vision. It was a narrow miss, but the implications were of an uncomfortable fact – another ship had entered the fray. They were having a hard time as it was with just the Black Pirates alone; never mind another crew seeking to take advantage! Did the Black Pirates have backup? They were doomed.

As another shot was fired from the new airship (an oddly designed ship with large black sails, Theora noted), she realized that whoever they were, they weren't aiming for them. No, this ship was warding off the Black Pirates as if to protect them. Though Theora knew that her older companions were going to feel ashamed and angry at this display of assistance, she was grateful for it. She wasn't too confident that they would have made it out safely otherwise.

She did not know who they were, but she was not about to just waste the window of opportunity with mere escapism. Her pride and honour, unlike those of her fellow crewmates, was still intact. She would not ditch them simply because they could. Instead, thinking of the Red Rogue she technically was…

"Fire away, ARGH!" Theora exclaimed into the intercom, her tone one of unusual authority as she demanded compliance. Her issue of command was heard from both Vanessa and Skye; the former of which had already realized what the plan was and had begun firing prior, the latter that begrudgingly expelled more toxins from her system into the toilet bowl, this time uncertain whether it was caused by the loqua or Theora's actions. Though no one would hear it, she concluded that it was Theora's fault.

The Black Pirates were not a group to give up, but their stubbornness did not spiral down into stupidity as most hoped it would – they knew when they were fighting the losing battle. Gunthor was a wiser man than any of them could have anticipated; though he was selfish and wished to claim them into his custody more than anything the well-being of his crew surprisingly came first. There were a few more shots fired in their general direction before they changed tactics and retreated.

Vanessa appeared at Theora's side by the helm only moments later, looking tired and slightly dishevelled though she wore a relieved smile on her face. She gave Theora a reassuring hug as she whispered a small thanks; it was evident she was appreciative of Theora's piloting skills, especially after her rather lacklustre display with the cannons. From now on, even if she was on her deathbed, Vanessa would politely force Skye into action. She couldn't bear the humiliation again in another tight spot like that.

"The ship that helped us is getting closer… I think they're going to try to board us. How should we respond?" Theora's voice stuttered slightly, suggesting that she was nervous. Vanessa stood there in silence as she thoughtfully rubbed her chin; considering their next course of action. She and Skye had always made sure that no one would ever grace even the deck of the Thalia, so the response should have been obvious, but…

"I'm sure you and Skye will both question me on this… but allow them to board. I'm curious to meet the person that would knowingly help another faction of air pirates against the Black Pirates."

"I suppose that makes sense…" The younger girl muttered. Her eyes scanned her captain's face as if she was almost looking for something, but said nothing as she pulled a few levers and slowed the Thalia to a stop. When they had, Theora turned to Vanessa again. "Can I come out too?"

"I think it would be best if you remained here, Theora." The older teen crossed her arms as the girl instinctively pouted. Vanessa could tell she had already come to the wrong conclusion as to why.

"Is this about our image again? I know that Skye will always ensure I am locked in a room somewhere, but I thought you'd be different…" She trailed off as Vanessa gently clasped her shoulders, causing her to look up into those beautiful hazel eyes. Vanessa's gaze was soft as she looked down upon her.

"Image is not that important to me… after all, would I allow these strangers onboard otherwise? No, I want you up here to be able to make a quick decision should things become ugly. I don't expect anything to happen, but… it's good to be cautionary with the unknown, you know?" The curly-haired teen smiled. "I have trust in your judgment. Our lives are in your hands."

"I… never thought of it like that…" Theora's eyes were wide, as if she had just been given the most important responsibility of her life. She remembered something as her friend headed towards the exit. "Wait! You shouldn't go alone!"

"Whoever said anything about going alone?" There it was; the elusive mischievous grin that Theora rarely ever saw. Vanessa winked. "Don't worry. I've got this one covered."

"I don't f**king believe this." Her groan of rampant disapproval elevated as they slowly headed for the deck, one bucket wearily held by its handle in her right hand. "You're allowing them on, _and_ you expect me to provide backup? What's got into you?"

"I just want your company with this, that's all." Vanessa replied back smoothly, rubbing Skye's back in a soothing gesture as they continued along their path. "I'll take care of things if it goes awry. I don't think we'll have any problems, though. They did help us drive Gunthor away…" When she spoke that name, Vanessa's voice would always waver very slightly – something that Skye had begun to notice any time her companion mentioned him. Despite feeling that her friend was stupid for letting her curiosity get the best of her on this occasion (allowing complete strangers on the deck of the Thalia? How absurd!), the buried embarrassment Vanessa tried to hide compelled emotions within her to be protective. Sometimes Skye hated Vanessa for that reason. She loved that girl, and felt feelings within that made her sick. It wasn't very pirate-like of her at all.

"Watch it be some ugly lard, shuffling his dirty boots against our pristine deck… too fat to even walk properly." Skye moaned, dragging her own black boots against the wood planks that made up the base floorboards. She stared down at them with tired, unfocused eyes. The mere movement was making her ill. She was too far away from the bathroom to run there… guess it was a good thing that she had brought the bucket after all.

"I'm hoping it'll be someone handsome." Vanessa said cheekily. It was in that moment that Skye noticed the slight flush on the fellow pirate's face – was she really that infatuated with the projected image in her mind, or was it something else entirely? As Vanessa nearly stumbled over herself, Skye came to the only true reasonable conclusion – subtle effects of loqua were still present in Vanessa's system. She didn't need to constantly hack it back up to expel the poisonous fluids, but she wasn't exempt from its clutches either. Perhaps that's why her usage of the cannons sucked so bad… "Oh… hehe, look, I was right!"

She was pointing ecstatically through the small window of the door that led out on the deck. A small group of four had arrived at the rendezvous point there. While three of the men were questionable in appearance, the fourth – the obvious leader of the pack with his fancy red jacket, shaded glasses, dual gun holster and companion green parrot – was a badass.

"Usually I question your taste in guys… but this one… damn." Skye felt her own cheeks burn at the sight of that attractive man. She might have denied Vanessa's kidnapping idea of Ivan, but she totally wouldn't be against it if the gal suggested that they take him instead.

After all, he was _hot_.

END CHAPTER FIVE


	6. Infectious Gallivant

Chapter 6: Infectious Gallivant

The man flashed them a grin as they reached the deck, hands on his hips and appearing completely relaxed as they approached. The gentle breeze ruffled the ends of his jacket and pushed it away from him – if it weren't for the large belt he wore around his waist, the rest of his outfit would have been exposed from his jacket taking the role of a cape; fluttering in the wind in its awesomely distracting red and black colors. His brunette hair gleamed in the sunlight; bangs magically avoiding obstructing his view as he gazed upon them. His eyes were darting around, giving them an obvious quick scan down as his smile grew broader.

"H-hello there." Vanessa awkwardly broke the silence, feeling slightly uncomfortable now that all eyes were upon her. She was starting to feel that it was perhaps not the best idea to let these strangers on board, though she quickly dismissed the notion as she knew that was just her lack of social skills talking. They did not seem at all threatening (the three crewmembers seemed to prefer hovering near the bridge that connected the two ships together, while their captain proudly stood before them) and the tall man with the shades threw her a warm look, appreciating her attempt to start a conversation. "I just wanted to thank you for your assistance."

"You sure needed it." One of the men in the back abruptly spoke, his voice distinctly unimpressed. "The flying was great but the one in charge of the cannons was horrible! Whoever taught them needs to reconsider ever allowing them use of the projectiles again." Vanessa's face flashed a quick look of being offended and deep embarrassment before it receded; leaving only the casual flushed cheeks that could be blamed by the warm weather.

"Now now Butch, that's no way to talk to a lady." The captain's tone was one of playful scolding as he threw a glance at his crewmates. Though it was only for a moment, each of them got the message from the action – leave him to do the talking. Typical. He'd probably just try to get with them for a romantic evening and then ditch them as the morning rays rose from the distant horizon. His gallivanting knew no shame. "Excuse my men's poor manners; clearly they haven't been taught proper etiquette yet."

"_Sometimes I think he forgets that we're pirates…_" One of them muttered under his breath. It was low enough that most of the gang on the deck didn't notice, though it didn't escape the attention of a particular blonde, however; who smiled in light amusement at the implication. It appeared that not even his own crew had become accustomed to the captain's chivalrous behaviour.

"That's fine, I take no offense." Vanessa laughed softly, shaking it off. "I'm Vanessa, and this is my friend Skye."

"A pleasure to meet you both." He said politely, appearing quite the gentleman as he gave a short bow. "The name's Gilder. We were in the area when we saw the fighting in the distance; once we caught sight of the flag of the Black Pirates, we had to get involved. I meant no disrespect if it came that way. I have just tired of seeing those vagabonds attacking everybody as of late as if they own the place. They've been raiding merchant ships on this trade route for weeks now. I was going to ask you what cargo your ship carries that they might target you for, but…" His lips curved upward, his eyes alit with deliberate cheekiness. "I believe I know the answer to that one."

"Oh, brother…" Butch groaned. "He's at it again."

"Actually, I think the captain has a point." One of the unnamed crewmates spoke for the first (and soon to be last) time. "I don't deny what you're inferring, but they are two _female_ pirates… quite the catch for a Black Pirate. Seeing that both ships were coming from Sailor's Island, I'd stake gold that the captain of the Black faction met them there. Why or how he didn't just grab them right then, though… I dunno."

"Well, they _are_ pirates…" The third member of the crew that is never to be named offered, aimed at Butch and unnamed crewmate #2.

"Yes, they are." A deadpan male voice carried over to them, causing the three dialoguing men to jump. Gilder frowned, giving his comrades a sharp glare before facing Skye and Vanessa again. "I must apologize again for my crew's inherent rudeness. Honestly, now I see why I tell them to stay on the Claudia… An image is hard to maintain when multiple people are representing it."

"Heh, we know that one." Skye finally said, having decided that she was well enough to speak. She had hesitated, feeling and hearing the gurgling sounds that her stomach had been emitting. She threw a look up at the windows of the bridge, knowing full well that their young pilot was observing the conversation from her vantage point. "That pipsqueak would ruin the reputation of the Red Rogues as soon as her existence became public, I bet." She scowled. "I still say you should chuck her overboard, Vanessa…"

"Skye, it's never going to happen. Give up." The red donned pirate rolled her eyes. "Well I guess this is where we part company. Thanks again for the-"

"Hold on a second there, lassie." Butch stepped forward to stand parallel to his captain, though it was more to get a better view of the duo his scrutinizing eyes were curious of. "_You're_ the Red Rogues? The group that has reportedly been a terror everywhere? I don't know whether to scoff and glare in disbelief or…" The sound of iron scrapping against its scabbard as the weapon was pulled out could be heard, dramatizing his next words, "kill you right on the spot. I can't believe we were duped!"

"Butch…" Gilder's tone warned, annoyance creeping up in his voice. "Stand down. I knew who they were."

"Then why…?" Butch didn't understand. In his eyes, the Red Rogues were as notoriously bad as the Black Pirates. They shouldn't be exempted from his captain's general viewpoint. "Because they're girls?"

"If you believe me to be that shallow, then our discussion ends here." There was a moment of heated silence before Butch sheathed his sword, distrust and suspicion evident as he glared at the two he blamed for making his captain question his loyalty. The nerve of them both!

"I do not know why you saved us, if that is how one of your crew feels…" Vanessa spoke up again, not giving the temperamental Skye a chance to retort and start a true fight. "Regardless, it is much appreciated. We are in your debt."

"It really was no problem, though if you truly feel that way I have but one… nay, two favours to ask of you." Gilder's shades now hung on the bridge of his nose as his eyes bore deeply into Vanessa's own. Before Skye could protest, Vanessa spoke.

"Name them." It was simple, unwavering.

"First… if even just for now, I want you to refrain from attacking merchant ships in this region. Business can be difficult in general, but with many pirates picking them off, it's becoming impossible." Gilder crossed his arms, now turning his attention to the Red Moon that was rising in the distance.

"That can be arranged. Second?" Vanessa didn't bother to ask why he cared about that. It didn't matter.

"This almost goes without saying… but if you have another encounter with the Black Pirates, make sure to kick their asses." Vanessa blinked as Gilder turned back, another fierce grin plastered on his face. "I know you both can do better; I can tell you've both had just a bit too much fun last night!" His eyes were on Skye as he said this, his manner entrenched with jocosity. "Why, I've done that many a time myself!" From the soft chuckle that Skye shared with him, Vanessa concluded what she had been thinking about this gallant man… Gilder's spirit was infectious. She could determine no other explanation as to how he could get her begrudging partner to laugh, despite how the other pirate felt.

"We'll be ready for that last one." Vanessa assured him. Her resolve was clear on her face, and by the expression Skye gave in that moment, she would agree to follow up on that goal. It would not be because of Gilder's asking, though. Not by a long shot. "I believe that we've kept you long enough. Thanks again for the help." Vanessa had seen the restlessness of Gilder's crew and figured that it was a good time to cut off the socializing. Gilder had sensed it too, understanding the abrupt end that Vanessa had suddenly thrust upon them.

"It was no bother. May we meet again under merrier circumstances. Good day to you both." He held out his hand, expecting a shake. Vanessa hesitantly took his hand in hers, making sure that he noted the firm and authoritative grip she gave him. A small, knowing smile crept on his lips as they parted company. Vanessa and Skye were left to watch as the Claudia's crew rejoined with their ship, detaching the bridge between them before roughly pulling it back.

"Well, that was fun." Vanessa commented, her eyes following the departed ship that sailed for the skies of whence they had just came from.

"Can't see why you'd say that." Skye shrugged, looking off to the side. "That fella – Douche? Bitch? – sure felt like laying the insults on ya."

"Butch." Her companion corrected; hazel and blue matching as they looked at one another.

"Whatever." The blonde huffed dismissively. Out of sight; out of mind. "Anyway, you sure seemed in the deceptive mood today, Miss. All formal, courteous, and agreeing to refrain from the very purpose the Red Rogues was formed for! Honestly didn't think they'd buy it but they did; nice work." Skye gleamed with pride as she gazed upon her companion, though it faltered as Vanessa uncomfortably shifted before her, worry apparent on her face. "What?"

"I… wasn't acting." Vanessa rubbed one hand with the other, a nervous habit. "After what had happened and why he chose to spare us… what I had said was very much sincere. I'm sorry, Skye."

"I can't believe this…" The gunslinger groaned. "I didn't argue because I thought you were kidding. Excuse me while I go wretch my stomach's contents in that discarded bucket, kay thanks."

And, true to her word, Skye did indeed go and retrieve her bucket to do that very action, leaving Vanessa to shamefully grimace at the awful sounds her friend purposely articulated in a rather aghast fashion.

Oh well. At least her integrity was still intact.

END CHAPTER 6


	7. Blue Vagabond

Chapter 7 – Blue Vagabond

She could not believe what she was hearing. Although her eyes told her that it was true; the last person she would ever expect to rant to her about another crewmate (rather than _about her_ in the teen's usual derogatory tone) was indeed taking up residence in the bridge and mouthing off about a particular curly-haired pirate. The blonde was no longer in a constant need to spill her guts out, but her bedraggled appearance and tired mind demanded attention from the last person she ever would turn to otherwise.

Theora fought back a sigh, nodding numbly when prompted by the blonde's intentional pauses and posing quiet inquiries when she could. Skye was completely slamming Vanessa's decision to allow the crew of the Claudia onboard. Theora had expected that this would happen (it goes against the Red Rogues code of conduct, under the clause of _Board or be Boarded_, after all), but never could she have anticipated that Skye would be vocalizing her concerns to _her_. Had someone suggested to her before that the surly blonde would confide in her enough to relentless bash Vanessa for whatever the reason, Theora would have laughed in their face.

Well, she's been wrong about things before.

"She went against everything that we stand for." Skye grumbled, running her fingers through her long hair as she stared out the window. She huffed, frowning as the desert land of Nasr appeared on the horizon. "Acted like a complete Blue Rogue… can you believe it? She agreed not to attack merchant ships in this region!" Skye groaned. "What is the world coming to?"

"There's nothing that can be done about that now." Theora shrugged, not really interested in Skye's opinion on the matter. She personally had no issue with what Vanessa had done. At Skye's glare, however, she added, "Well, there's always the marketplace."

"Nasrad won't have anything of interest in the markets for us…" Skye sighed, leaning back to stare up at the ceiling. "We've already taken all the valuable merchandise. You would know that too if you weren't entirely dependent and useless."

"I'm sorry that I haven't had the opportunity to participate in such an activity, Skye." Theora frowned, not taking her eyes off the land as she was guiding the Thalia towards it. "Someone has to look after the ship."

"Excuses." Skye retorted, blue eyes again resting on the pre-teen. "You wouldn't resort to thievery ever; I know your type. You lack the skill to know what is truly valuable anyway; too absorbed in piloting and ravioli to care about anything else."

"Is that what you really think?" Theora was trying not to let it show that the blonde easily agitated her every time she opened her mouth. It was hard, attempting to remain calm while a person in the same room character assassinated her. "You had no complaints about my choice in ship. Neither you nor Vanessa knows how to fly, though at least Vanessa has shown initiative in trying to learn. Am I really as useless as you would wish me to believe? Where would you be now if I couldn't fly? Grounded, I'd think." Skye opened her mouth to retort but stopped herself. As much as she'd hate to admit it, the twerp had a point – the Red Rogues couldn't be a terror of the skies if there weren't a pilot to operate the ship. That still didn't change one fact, though.

"Extra credentials aside, you would fail if you ever attempted to steal. One could never be considered truly part of the Red Rogues if they can't even do that." Skye crossed her arms, smirking as she noticed the visible tremble of the girl. Clearly she had pressed some of Theora's buttons. Her smug feeling quickly deteriorated as the pigtail-haired girl spun the helm rapidly, forcing the ship into a sharp turn. Skye was flung from her seat onto the floor.

"Sorry, had to avoid a rock." Theora mumbled. Both of them knew only too well that she was lying. The door to the bridge flung open, Vanessa taking a breath as she had just run from her room to find out the source of the disturbance. Seeing Skye on her ungraceful position on the floor, Vanessa's eyebrow raised as speculations formed in her head.

"Floating rock?" She asked; walking over to their pilot while the girl stared intently ahead, nearing the port to Nasrad.

"Yep. Didn't notice it right away; sorry about that." Theora threw Vanessa an apologetic smile. She had forgotten that her actions would also affect the curly-haired girl below deck. Vanessa moved over to help Skye up; the latter's face adopting a tinge of her former illness from the shuffle.

"Totally lying…" Skye whispered as she was pulled up, throwing Theora a scornful look. "Can't just accept her place on this ship…" Vanessa's expression darkened.

"I'm not sure I know what you mean, Skye." Her tone was curt; displeased. If Skye had spoken to Theora, it couldn't have been anything less than degrading to the younger crewmember. "But we'll speak of that later. Theora, how much longer will it take for us to dock, approximately?"

"Given the activity of the port right now… I'd say around ten to fifteen minutes." Theora calmly replied back. She had quickly regained her composure at Vanessa's entry. She never wanted the older teen to see her in a frazzled state, though sometimes she couldn't help it. "I'll buzz the intercom to let you know when we've arrived." Vanessa flashed Theora a grateful smile.

"Thank you. See you shortly." With that, Vanessa dragged Skye out of the room, giving Theora some valuable time alone to ponder on her thoughts.

* * *

Nasrad was a nostalgic sight as Theora directed their ship safely into the docks; the act itself being one that she had performed countless times over the last few months. This was more real and thrilling than any simulation she had seen, and Theora never grew tired of it. When she was young, she always had an aspiration to fly. Her parents had been supportive of the notion and enrolled her in lessons; she excelled in her dream with top marks as one of the youngest fully fledged pilots the world had seen. Still, she doubted that her parents had ever expected her to start adventuring as early as she had. She didn't blame them; she hadn't expected it either. While she missed some things, this had been one experience she would never regret taking part of.

Theora faithfully buzzed the intercom as she had promised, watching from the window as Vanessa hurried out onto the deck and gracefully hopped off onto the waiting stretch of stone that served as their respective docking point. Skye appeared not too long after, opting instead to drop a plank down to descend rather than jumping off like her comrade. She wasn't yet in the mood to upset her stomach again, it seemed. Theora sighed, feeling slightly left out as she observed the two ascend the slope and head into the city. Vanessa had already asked her before if she wanted to join them in their adventure, but knowing that meant that she had to tag along with Skye, she politely declined. She didn't think she could let the insults roll off her shoulders as she usually did. Not tonight, at least…

Thinking of the blonde's words from earlier, Theora came to the realization that she was really bothered by what had been said. She knew that she shouldn't be – her piloting ability was definitely more useful than Skye would ever give credit for – but she couldn't help herself. Part of her was actually curious about the subtle challenge that had presented itself… and whether she could actually handle it. Theora sighed again. She knew what she had to do, and though she was entirely against setting upon it, she was going to do it anyway.

Knowing she would need to equip herself for any potential threats along the way, Theora headed for the bedrooms. She was sure that Vanessa wouldn't mind if she borrowed one of her weapons.

If there was one thing Theora hadn't prepared for as she lurked around the outskirts of the city, it was the heat. She felt like she was sweltering; her hair hot as it collected within its thick strands. Thinking of how uncomfortable she felt, Theora wondered how Skye and Vanessa usually managed their Nasr escapades. With Vanessa's dense dark curly hair and armour, Theora was surprised that she didn't pass out from heat exhaustion (Unbeknownst to Theora; that actually had happened on one of their first outings). Skye was a bit better off, but her hair and outfit were still potential hardships from what the girl could see. She was thankful for her light fabrics and skirt. At least she could appreciate the occasional breeze that passed through.

As Theora caught sight of the palace in the distance, her heart began to beat faster. She had chosen the most daunting of all targets to prove herself to the team – or to Skye, she supposed, as Vanessa had no problem with her – the rumoured golden chalice of the Nasultan. There had been idle whisperings around that it had been on display exclusively for this one day in the throne room, though nobody she eavesdropped could confirm it – the Nasultan rarely permitted visitors access to the palace on a regular day now after a failed assassination attempt only a few months before. Tension between Nasr and Valua rose to new levels after that, and next to no one (save for a few bodyguards) had seen the Nasultan in person since.

Theora wiped some sweat off her brow; body trembling with nerves. Of course she had to choose the most hard ass location to mark her debut – some market stalls just wouldn't do, oh no. She watched the two guards posted by the bridge standing rigidly in their posts, likely frozen in boredom from how mundane their jobs were. She couldn't just rush them or try to sneak past them – both would draw too much attention to herself; resulting in her capture. She doubted that she could be stealth with her vibrant blue color scheme anyway. She stuck out like a sore thumb in contrast to the sandy reds that made up this region.

She waited for an opportunity to present itself, still pressed up against a wall of the final building before the open expanse ahead. She tentatively touched the end of the mace she had retrieved from Vanessa's closet. Theora frowned when her fingers made contact. She had used weapons before, sure. Just never before on another human being.

"Give me your money!" She heard a gruff voice demand from somewhere nearby. Theora's head spun around, eyes widening as she caught sight of the spectacle unfolding in the town center. A tall and burly man was holding a young girl, who appeared to be sobbing as she struggled in his grip. He was threatening her mother by holding a knife near the young girl's throat. Theora felt a pang of guilt as she had a direct path to knocking out the brute from behind and chose not to act on it. Playing hero would satisfy her morals and her upbringing… but not what she was attempting to do right now. She wasn't too sure why she craved Skye's approval and acceptance as a Red Rogue. Perhaps, deep down, she wished that Skye wouldn't be so judgmental over her mere existence anymore.

Theora saw the brief opening as both guards moved to quell the growing commotion. They were tasked to guard the bridge and preserve the peace in the area. It wasn't too practical an order – easily exploited if one thought of it. With only a moment's hesitation, she pushed herself from the wall and slipped by undetected. The bridge sprawled onward for quite a distance; Theora ran as fast as her short legs could carry her. When she knew she'd appear as nothing more than a speck of blue to those gazing from the town, Theora took a brief pause to catch her breath. She felt out of shape; her lungs burning from the exertion. She knew that it was due to her choice of weapon – the mace she wielded was heavy, meant for stronger arms than hers. Still, she wouldn't feel right in taking Vanessa's blades or Skye's guns. With both, she knew that they would draw blood. If she were to have a confrontation, she wanted a clean knock out, nothing more.

* * *

"Theora?" Her voice seemed to echo through the halls; a feeling of emptiness engulfing the Thalia as Vanessa slowly trudged on through. She looked around, puzzled that she hadn't heard the clamouring of her friend from anywhere. Theora wasn't in the bridge or in her room… just where was she? "I'll make you ravioli tonight if you want… but only if you stop playing these games." Vanessa crossed her arms, staring at each of the closed doors in the hall for any sign of movement. There was none. Was Theora really not here?

As she walked by, Vanessa felt a small draft from her bedroom door. When she paused to investigate, she realized that it was open just a crack – Vanessa had made sure to close it completely prior to her departure, so she knew someone had been in there. Theora wasn't usually such a minx about it, though… Had she done something she was ashamed of? Vanessa pushed open the door.

Everything seemed to be in order, exactly as she had left it. The sheets were tucked in, the dresser drawers were closed; the few books she had managed to collect were still neatly displayed on her small bookcase next to a spare compass and map that she had stolen for those 'just in case' moments. For being a spare, the compass was made of solid gold and the map was created by one of the former legendary and now felled mapmakers. They were personal treasures – yet to actually see any use, since they already had a compass and map located on the centerpiece table in the bridge. Out of habit, Vanessa passed by the rest of her room and went to open the closet door. There, she saw something she did not expect.

"Oh Theora…" Vanessa groaned, staring up at her ceiling in dismay. "What are you up to now?"

* * *

She was stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. How had she ever convinced herself that she was actually capable of such a feat? Not even Skye or Vanessa had ever attempted it before (though they had certainly discussed it, Vanessa usually reasoned against actually infiltrating the palace because it was too risky), so why did she think that she would be able to succeed whereas the other two had responsibly dismissed it? Theora bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling; pressed up behind a decorative pillar in the main hallway. Security was tight; there were guards seemingly everywhere. They had yet to detect the small blue clad vagabond that nimbly moved from pillar to pillar, but it was only a matter of time, Theora knew. Her right hand tightened around the handle of the mace. _Please don't make me use this…_

"Hey! What are you doing here?" Theora seized up in fear, turning her head to face her opponent. She had been discovered! The man was already calling for his colleagues to surround her. She looked up with a face of dismay, cursing those up above for their sick sense of humour. As she whirled around with mace equipped, man still charging but getting ever closer, Theora got an idea. She could only pray that it would work.

"Moons, give me strength!" Her voice seemed to bounce off the walls, revealing the undercurrent of terror from her tone as she spoke. The guard was now at a full sprint, trying to intercept her before she could finish the incantation. Too late. "Slipara!" Mist erupted from the magic circle, gushing out across the floor and swiftly enveloping the room. Any time it reached a palace guard the mist would spiral up in a cylinder shape, completely encasing them in the spell. Theora wasn't too sure if the secondary effect would kick in (it was one of her first times ever casting the bewitching slumber spell, after all), but if nothing else it provided her temporary cover to run into the throne room. The clattering of metal on the floor assured her that some of the guards had fallen asleep, at least. She didn't look back as she ran through the great doors. She knew that not everyone would be affected by the mist, and it had been made pretty clear based on her actions about what she was after.

The rumoured golden chalice of the Nasultan. Was it real? Where was it? Theora quickly scanned the room for any sort of display, eyes falling on the cup shaped ornament on top of the chair. There it was! Decorated with the finest rubies Theora had ever seen. She skipped on over to it, ducking behind the large throne chair instinctively to be out of view of the main hall. She gazed up at the cup again, suspicious. It was sure to trigger an alarm of some sort as soon as it was touched. She took a deep breath, her heart pounding hard against her rib cage. Her hand shakily reached up for the chalice. Here goes nothing…

Theora grasped the chalice and pulled it from the chair.

Nothing happened.

Her mind shrouded in confusion. How could something so important be so easy to steal? It wasn't secure in its holding at all; at this rate she felt like she could just waltz out the front door with it. She almost felt… disappointed at how easy it was. Granted she was still scared and it would make for a great bragging story to her crewmates, but…

"A young lass got this far into my home without resistance? My, either you are deceptively clever in your ways or I lack a proper staff of security to let someone like you get in." Theora froze. The deep voice came from the other side of the chair, close by. She stayed in position, not daring to breathe. She hoped that he would somehow disappear if she did. It didn't work. "Well, I'd rather not stain my carpet with your blood, so come out, would you? The cleaning staff has told me that blood takes forever to wash out; I'd rather not pose them an inconvenience this time."

Theora's legs felt numb as she slowly crept out of her hiding spot, coming into view with one of the largest, most obnoxiously decorated men she had ever seen. His eyes were looking her over; his gaze settling on the chalice in her left hand and the awkwardly heavy mace in her right.

"On a mission, were you? Had you not brought that weapon, I merely would have imprisoned you in a holding cell below and put you to work. However, seeing that you came prepared to take a life if you had to, I suppose I should look on this situation with the same jurisdiction." The fat man sighed. Clearly he didn't like the thought of cutting down a young girl, but it had to be done. He pulled out a sabre. "Heavens take mercy on me for what I am about to do."

As the big man slowly advanced forward, Theora took a few steps back. She couldn't take him on! She had too little experience to parry a sabre, and she couldn't cast a spell now because he was too close for her to even start the incantation. Shit, what to do, what to do?

She glanced at the chair, and then back at the man. She was tired, but he was a fat lard, so… perhaps she could outrun him? Theora didn't have time to dwell on it. She'd have to try.

Theora bolted from the other side of the chair, hoping that her legs would go the distance. She was absolutely gobsmacked when the heavily jewellery adorned man beat her to the door, effectively blocking her only escape route with his large frame. She held up the mace in front of her defensively. She was hoping to merely side step when the man lunged and run through the opening. He seemed to already be aware of her plan, for he did not move; he merely blocked the entrance calmly, his chocolate brown eyes staring into her own. Theora realized what he was doing. He was going to try to delay her exit until reinforcements arrived to detain her. Despite his resolve to kill her, it seemed like he didn't want to go through with it.

Either way, she was screwed. She couldn't see any way of getting out. Theora felt ashamed of herself. She intentionally ignored the voice of reason in her head in a stupid attempt to shut Skye up. Why couldn't she have settled for the marketplace? She sure was regretting her choice right now. The man took another step forward, sabre raised. So he was going to kill her after all.

Or so she thought, until he ungracefully crumbled before her very eyes, sprawled unconscious on the lavish marble floor. Theora blinked.

"I think it best that we make our stylish departure, don't you, Theora?" The voice was melodic to the young girl's ears. Never before had she felt so relieved in her life.

"V-Vanessa! H-how…" Theora was clearly nervous, looking guilty from having been caught by the person she idolized, no less.

"You don't take something like a mace from a person's closet and expect to believe that they'll think you've gone on an evening stroll with it, Theora." Vanessa's eyes were kind as she gently teased her friend, seeing how shaken the girl really was. "That and you've always been more the bludgeoning type; you don't like to draw blood. It's easy to figure out." Vanessa shrugged, and then extended a hand to Theora. "Let's make off with your bounty. One doesn't come this far without finishing the job, eh?"

"Y-yeah…" Theora accepted Vanessa's hand, allowing herself to be towed while the older teen sped them over the Nasultan and down the main hall, pausing only once to knock out some of the guards that had begun to stir on the floor. Theora could not understand the appeal and thrills the other two talked about concerning these kinds of missions. She felt bad for the innocents that were only trying to do their job. As they exited the palace Vanessa brought them down to a casual walk, keeping the pace as they continued walking towards the guards. Theora grew more nervous as they went ever closer. What was Vanessa doing? They were going to get caught!

"Be at ease… Trust me." Vanessa whispered, having sensed the younger girl's discomfort. Though all she wanted to do was hide; Theora did not pull away from Vanessa's insistent grip on her arm. They walked right past the guards… and nobody stopped them.

"I am so confused right now." Theora sighed, handing Vanessa the mace because she figured she would draw attention to them if she waltzed through town with it.

"So are they." The older teen winked. "Temporary panika spell. They never saw us exit."

"When did you do that?" Theora didn't recall any moment stopping on the bridge so that Vanessa could cast the spell. Vanessa gave her a sly grin.

"You must have been really absorbed in your thoughts if you didn't notice. Never mind that, I do believe it would be safer to possess the prize in the ship, don't you?" Vanessa dragged Theora along again, only giving the younger enough time to mumble a rushed agreement before heading back to the docks.

* * *

"So what are you going to do with your catch, Theora?" Vanessa asked, sitting down at the end of the bed, looking at her companion expectantly. "Most newcomers to the field display their first trophy in their room. Must say though, yours certainly takes the cake for being the finest first effort I have seen."

"What did you do with yours?" Theora asked; gleaming with pride at the compliments she was being given. Vanessa had already scolded her for choosing such a dangerous first mission without backup (explaining that she wouldn't have been cornered or snuck up on if she had company), but there was definitely a hint of pride and wonder in the girl's eyes as she told her off.

"I ended up selling it to pay for ship repairs one time." Vanessa almost looked a bit sad. They had been broke, and she didn't really want to get rid of it but had to for the sake of their ship and their journeys.

"Then this will go towards upgrading our ship." Theora beamed at her decision. She could already see it now; new helm, engines, and cannons… she couldn't wait. Vanessa smiled.

"If that's what you want to do, Cap'n."

"Who you calling a captain now?" Ah, the snarky blonde had appeared by the doorway. She leaned against the frame, arms folded with a face that clearly didn't look impressed. That is until she saw _it_. All those rumours of a pig-tailed girl stealing from the palace were true; the parts about her successful escape by ship in the direction of Valua notwithstanding. The golden chalice of the Nasultan… was in the hands of the twerp. "Where did you get that?"

"Oh, this?" Theora held it up for Skye to see before putting it on her dresser. "In the imperial palace here. Who knew that the Nasultan would be so fat? I mean, I heard he was a glutton, but… he was a whale."

"_You_ went to the imperial palace?" Though the townsfolk had already confirmed it, it was still a hard idea to grasp. "Why?"

"Yes, I did." Theora took a step to pick up the mace leaning on her desk, staring at it thoughtfully before turning her attention back to Skye. "I… just wanted to prove to myself that I could do it, that's all."

"I would have expected the marketplace, if you ever were to try. The imperial palace, though… nice job kiddo." Skye looked sincerely impressed as she wore a rare warm smile for the younger girl. Theora almost didn't know how to handle the compliment. Such a thing was so rare from Skye… Theora could now rest easy, knowing that she could now say that she _could_ do such things and simply chose not to. Theora never wanted to do something that ridiculous out of the ship again. "This almost calls for a celebration, wouldn't you say, Vanessa? Ravioli and then to the tavern, perhaps?"

"Oh, I agree." Vanessa pushed up from her spot on the bed, heading for the door. She paused and gave Theora a hug. "My turn to buzz you when dinner's ready!" She stated cheerfully before walking out. Skye lingered behind for a moment, still in her good mood as she gave the kid a playful pat on the head. Then she left, likely to go to the kitchen and in a rare instance help Vanessa prepare it.

Theora sat down on her bed, body quivering with elated joy. Positive acknowledgment from both captains, and ravioli to boot!

This day had turned out perfectly.

* * *

"You know what, Vanessa? I done good today." Skye grinned as she pulled out a pot to put on the stove.

"Yeah?" Vanessa replied, opening the can of ravioli and pouring it in the pot.

"Finally inspired Theora to do something useful; I'm proud of myself. Maybe now she'll stop being entirely useless on the ship while we do all the hard work."

"Skye? I don't think she's going to do it again."

"What? Why?" Skye frowned.

"She proved that she could do it; that she's a Red Rogue. Now there's no need for her to." Before Skye could retort, Vanessa added, "Besides, she intends on selling the chalice so we can upgrade the ship. She's paid her dues."

"… She is?" Skye's expression looked as if she were far away, thinking. Vanessa nodded. There went her only excuse to have Theora join an excursion without actually asking her. "Dammit."

END CHAPTER 7


	8. A Palette of Red

Chapter 8: A Palette of Red

"I have to admit… I don't feel very comfortable out here at the moment." The young girl of twelve spoke sheepishly, her eyes darting in worry at the many passerby as the trio walked through town. Vanessa threw her an understanding look, knowing full well the reasoning behind Theora's discomfort. It was usually unwise in a profession such as theirs to revisit the same area in which they had stolen from only hours prior. Still, in an unusual case of enthusiastic behaviour, Skye had insisted on Theora's presence during their visit to the tavern. Though Theora was not too interested in the rowdy environment, this likely one time acceptance of her existence led Theora to hesitantly agree to participate.

Well, at least it explained her temporary new look – gone were the trademark pigtails, allowing her straight brunette hair to reveal how long it truly was; gone were the blue-clad attire that instantly would have given her away to the masses. She now wore a simple red tank top and black slacks that were tucked into dusty brown traveler's boots. It was incredible how a simple aesthetic change could reinvent an individual. Theora looked nothing like the descriptions of the vagabond that were now circulating around Nasrad.

"You'll be fine." Skye glanced over to the timid girl, gauging the disguise with her eyes. "Honestly, I hardly recognize ya myself." _Must be the hair_, Skye thought. The young girl looked sweet and pretty, nothing like the usual annoying brat that her eyes loathed to rest on. The red was also appropriate and of a much more refined color than the typical blue as well – not that Skye would ever admit to these thoughts. Theora's ego would surely swell beyond the capacity of the poor tyke's brain. In a way, Skye was saving Theora from herself. Skye smiled. She felt truly selfless today.

"She's got a point, Emilia." Vanessa winked, playfully batting Theora's hair midstride. The name was unfamiliar coming from Vanessa's lips, but Theora's insistent paranoia that someone would recognize her name had driven her to create a codename for this temporary alter-ego of hers. Her reasoning was that one of the palace guards might remember her name when she and Vanessa had spoken to each other during their departure – it was legitimate in her eyes. Vanessa held no such discretion of secrecy in regards to her name. Vanessa knew that their names were not a known fact to the case – they would have cropped up in rumours by now, at least. Still, if the usage of her codename eased the girl's mind, Vanessa would use it.

They paused at the entrance to the tavern, hearing the rumblings of the eccentricity within as they stood by the doorway. Theora shuffled uneasily on her feet, looking up at her two companions. Vanessa gave her a reassuring smile.

"Just follow our lead." Skye pushed open the door and stepped inside. With a nod and a gentle gesture, Vanessa directed Theora to follow suit.

When they entered, they noticed two things immediately: the first being that it was extremely crowded, the atmosphere abuzz with the latest gossip and hiccups of intense drinking games. The second thing they noticed was that Skye had already managed to secure a table while they were on their brief interlude outside – how had she managed that? The place was packed. Curiosity was present on Theora's face as they rejoined the blonde, but nothing was voiced as they settled down for their fun evening.

An order of two fizzling tall glasses of loqua and an adorably small serving of apple juice later, the trio were actively engaged in a discussion on what was to come next.

"Maramba." Vanessa stated matter-of-factly, putting her glass down on the table for emphasis.

"I'm more in the mood for Valua, though…" Skye muttered; her expression thoughtful as she stared up at the ceiling. "More thrills that way."

"The entire city is blocked off at the moment." Theora pointed out. "After the Blue Rogues' escape, remember?"

"BAH, Blue Rogues… they ruin everything." Skye groaned. The mere mention of them made her ill. Well, there was always a remedy for that. "Bartender! Another mug, cheers." A gruff nod was his acknowledgement of the request; an action that made Skye all the more chipper. Drowning in intentional intoxication was always the way to go to get those dastardly Blue Rogues out of her mind.

Unfortunately for Skye, however, it seemed that rumours of the fledging trio of Vyse, Aika, and Fina were running rampant through the bar. Why?

"Yeh heard from me mate down in 'ramba that they hitched a ride into the desert, eh? Me thinks they trying to find the temple, ya know."

"Nobody ever found that temple and lived to tell about it, aye. Chunky Charlie went 'here to scavenge some of that there treasure and he hasn't been seen since."

"Pah, you lads believe in such fairytales? That temple in the desert is nothing but a mirage, a trickery of the mind… Shame those young children are risking their lives over an illusion, but I think I find you lot more shameful than they. Grown men, believing in a fallacy… don't know what's worse."

"GAH, they follow us everywhere, I swear." Skye pulled down on her bandana in an attempt to cover her ears. She frowned, her eyes throwing daggers at the idiots that surrounded them. "Stupid shits don't have anything better to talk about…"

"Your drink, mi'lady."

"About bloody time, I was just-" Skye stopped short, recognizing that particular voice. She stared first at the gloved hand presenting her drink, and then followed the red arm of the jacket up into the eyes of an all too familiar man. Theora raised a brow, never before having seen Skye react in such a manner. She almost appeared… flustered?

"Fancy seeing you here so soon, Gilder." Vanessa greeted him, a warm smile plastered on her face. There was a tint of a blush on her cheeks, though it could be excused by the humidity of the room. Gilder tilted his head respectively at the two elder of the trio, and then his eyes settled on the young girl next to them.

"I don't believe we've had the pleasure of an introduction yet, fair brunette." He gave a short bow in her direction. "Gilder, captain of the Claudia."

"Ah… I'm Emilia. No special title for me." Theora giggled light-heartedly at the exchange. She really was playing down who she truly was; not once really letting the glory of her newfound mysterious popularity get into her head. The bar was also discussing the stolen gold chalice, of course, and the vagabond that had successfully escaped to Valua in her stride. She just felt that it would be good not to acknowledge these whispers – Skye was likely to become easily aggravated if she did, she figured. Skye was already a bit ticked from the conversations going on around them anyway.

"Some of the greatest individuals I know lack the distinction of a title." Gilder replied, his tone forever charming. His attention turned back to Vanessa and Skye, who had begun to indulge in their second glasses of loqua. "Would you ladies mind some company on this fair evening?" Skye and Vanessa threw a glance at each other, and Vanessa opened her mouth to respond. Gilder felt like adding one last note first, however, to sweeten the pot. "Drinks are on me."

"How rude we'd be to deny such an offer! Have a seat." Skye patted the empty chair beside her, a look of pure giddiness developing on her face. Theora, clearly the party member in the observer position, felt both enthralled and a bit peculiar to witness how the two of her crewmates were acting. It was not too weird to see Vanessa have a crush on a guy (she admitted to such feelings quite regularly, in fact; she felt no shame in feeling attracted to sexy men, after all), but Skye… In general, today, she seemed like a completely different person.

Theora wished she could see this side of the blonde more often. Skye was starting to act a lot more human in her eyes. It was just a shame that it was derived from her stealing a priceless artefact that she risked her life to snatch up, and also from this guy that she clearly just wanted to score with. At her core, Skye was still just being her normal selfish self. Theora didn't care too much, though. She supposed she liked the feeling of being recognized.

"They pass that off as juice? That's despicable, that is." Gilder caught Theora's attention as he glanced disdainfully at the small shot glass she was provided. "Hang on, lass; I'll get you something better than that. Excuse me for a moment, dears." He left to harass the bartender at the counter, leaving Theora to feel slightly embarrassed as she truly wasn't that bothered about her lack of substance to begin with. Her companion's consumption of alcohol was already starting to show signs on their faces as they stared at him rather dreamily. Well, they could have chosen worse, but she already feared what was going to become of this evening. It almost felt inevitable that they were going to ditch her for Gilder. Perhaps she would take the high road –

"Here you go, I hope this is more to your fancy, Emilia." A giant mug, likely the largest abomination that Theora had ever laid eyes on, was placed on the table before her. It was _huge_, and nearly filled to the brim. She had to wonder how he ever managed to bring it over without spilling it. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "I know that they don't serve minors here… but if you want a bit of alcohol in that, just let me know." He winked, patting his jacket in a particular spot to reveal the outline of a small bottle being concealed inside. The guy knew all the tricks of the trade into a woman's heart. Theora knew she'd likely be as gaga over him as her two friends if she were older, but being the polite and sophisticated twelve year old that she was…

"Thanks, but I'll pass on that." She replied. "I'm sure they won't hold such reservation, though."

"Oh, I'm sure." Gilder chuckled. "That's no worry, though. They'll get what they want, as will I. Happy times for everyone."

"Heheh, Miss, look." Skye nudged Vanessa twice, hard, pressing for her attention. Vanessa grumbled while Skye pointed at Theora's glass. "It's like that giant mountain in Yafu-Yafutoma… What's it called again? Ah, hell with the name, let's just call it the piss bowl." Skye snorted.

"I believe you mean Mt. Kazai, and it looks nothing like a piss bowl." Gilder scolded gently. "As you so eloquently put it."

"I don't feel like I can drink this in front of you, now…" Theora uttered, pushing the monolith of a glass towards them. "Thanks for the gesture, Gilder, but there is only so much relentless teasing one can handle in a night, and I'd rather it not start now." The young girl looked uncomfortable, knowing what the three in front of her planned on doing with their evening. She had begun to wish that he hadn't shown up; at least then she could have spent a more respectable night with her friends. Well, everything was meant to happen for a reason. She was a believer in that, even though sometimes that was only an excuse to negate the negative connotations of the times that sucked.

"Emilia, if you don't want to stick around…" Vanessa looked apologetic, as if she had come into a sudden epiphany about what was going on. "I can walk back with the ship to you, if you want. You're not obligated to stick around, though I did want to do something first, hang on." She gestured with her finger to emphasize that it would only take a minute and rushed on over to the counter, now her turn to speak with the bartender. She appeared a moment later, looking pleased as she sat back down.

"Aye, listen up lads!" The bartender hopped on his counter, his voice somehow booming over the chatter of the tavern. The conversations died down, curious about the intrusion. "Our young lassie here is 'ere celebrating her birthday with us, so why don't we give her some good ol' Nasr cheer? Have at ye!" The bartender began to sing, his tone laden with swagger as he jumped off his counter and appeared by Theora's side, brandishing a cupcake with a smiley face iced on top. Theora's eyes widened in surprise, shooting Vanessa a confused glance (it was in no way her birthday tonight) as the curly haired teen just gave a sly smile and sang along. Skye was clearly buzzed as she enthusiastically clapped to the melody and even challenged shy voices to sing louder by telling them they sucked. The drunken men saw this as an opportunity to impress the hot blonde by singing louder. The result was ear piercing, but with good intentions.

When the song concluded, the bartender gave Theora a friendly pat on her shoulder and left to go back to manning the counter. Theora's cheeks burned with embarrassment, though she was delighted that people cared enough to join in, regardless of whether they knew her or not. If that was the reception for a fake birthday, she could imagine the real thing to feel a lot more meaningful.

She looked down at the cupcake, smiling up at her. It was cute.

"Thanks… for that." Theora said; the smile from the cupcake seemingly contagious as one crept onto her face.

"What are friends for, right?" Vanessa replied smoothly, her eyes warm with affection for the girl sitting directly across from her.

"Yeah, thanks… Hey, I think I'm going to head out for now… you three try not to have too much fun, all right?"

"No promises there." Skye whispered to Gilder, both of them adopting a cheeky grin at the thought.

"No worries. We'll catch ya later." Vanessa gave a short wave as Theora collected her cupcake and headed out, her destination: the Thalia.

"Hey, you forgot your piss bowl!" Skye called out after her. It would be left unheard by the one that it was intended for. She frowned, staring at it. "Oh, guys… Got a great idea."

"What's that?" Gilder spoke, returning a stray hand holding a small bottle into his jacket.

"We should drink that. It's _HUGE_."

"That's what she said." Vanessa added, erupting into a fit of giggles. Gilder glanced at Vanessa, and then returned his focus to Skye.

"I rather like that idea. Shall we, ladies?"

* * *

The air felt stuffy as she groggily stirred, her head pounding hard from the wild partying she had committed to last night. She could hardly remember a thing after Theora left them; she could just recall feeling… loose about the usual restrictions she placed on herself and drank a lot more than she probably should have. The sheets that covered her felt very warm and comfortable despite the stale air – she'd have to open the porthole to bring in some fresh air. She froze mid-thought as she realized that her breathing was loud – no, it wasn't hers. She wasn't alone in the room. She felt oddly exposed in the comforts of her room… and against her better judgment, she opened her eyes.

A mute shriek escaped from her gawking mouth as her eyes focused on what lay beside her. A beastly, sexy body of a man was close by, snoring gently, his brown hair framed perfectly against one of her pillows. Another rustle on the other side of him indicated that there was someone else in her bed, immediately identifiable by the blonde locks that splayed out on the bedspread. Skye was cuddling with Gilder, a content smile on her face.

Vanessa's eyes widened, horrified. She couldn't remember much of last night, but it was easy enough to tell what had happened by the way their clothes were strewn about her room as the three of them, quite exposed in every conceivable way imaginable, slumbered in her bed.

Fuck.


	9. Delirium

Chapter 9: Delirium

Theora stood by her bedside, deciding if her pillows were appropriate in the corner she had placed them. Not that it was a huge issue in the first place; however it was nice to have that extra excuse to linger in her room. She didn't want to see the two pirates or their _friend_ this morning. It was bad enough hearing the three; Theora's ears burned at the mere thought. The imagination of the 12 year old, fortunately, was bleak, so the noises were just that. She picked up the comb on her bed table; the bristles massaged her scalp with each stroke. Would Vanessa make breakfast this morning, or would she have to make simple toast and cheese? Not that it was a big deal if she didn't, but _why _she didn't… Theora hadn't meant to gag on her own saliva; however, she may have achieved her own solution for exiting her room: to throw up.

En route to the bathroom to expel the toxic churnings of her stomach and her thoughts, a delicious wafting of fried eggs spilled out from the kitchen, filling Theora's nostrils with delectable desire. Thoughts of puking up negative connotations from the night before promptly ceded as Theora rounded the corner to peer into the room; peaking in on the teen she hoped to see.

There she was, hovering dutifully over the stove, her face taking on a light tinge of red from the heat that brushed against it. The initial smell of eggs, Theora discovered, was also accompanied by bacon, sausages, and tomatoes in separate pans alongside. Vanessa took a step away from the stove to allow herself a moment of fresh air, which unfortunately was also rather humid. They really needed to invest in a fan for this room, specifically for when she was cooking in the Nasr region.

"Good morning." Theora announced her presence, stepping in view in the doorframe. Vanessa's head swiveled around, catching sight of the preteen as the girl made her way over to the counter.

"G-Good morning, Theora. I hope you slept well?" An unusual hint of nerves crept into Vanessa's voice. The older teen clearly was dwelling over something she found unsettling. Vanessa knew that whatever glamorized perspective Theora had of her being a good role model must be completely shot by now.

"Uh… Mildly, I guess. The Thalia needs some thicker walls though. Perhaps I'll use the chalice to invest in some soundproofing." Theora frowned, contemplating the idea. Well, she wouldn't have to hear anything again if she did that… there were no negatives, except she probably wouldn't have enough to upgrade the helm, a shame really. Vanessa's face became increasingly downcast as the silence lingered on. A crackling of oil from behind her startled her, jumping back into immediate attention to rescue the eggs before they burned.

"Theora, I'm so sorry, I don't even remember what happened, but I can guess, and – oh, that can't be good." Theora was looking out an open porthole while Vanessa was speaking, but the sudden worry in her friend's voice brought Theora's gaze back to her. Something didn't seem right. Her rosy colored cheeks had drained of all color; a pale sheen of perspiration forming as a hand went instinctively to her stomach.

"Vanessa…? Are you all right?" Theora pushed off from the chair, taking a tentative step forward. Vanessa shakily held out her hand to keep Theora away.

"W-Watch the food for me, I'll be back…" and without a moment longer to spare, Vanessa left in a sprint towards the bathroom. Theora's eyes gazed absently at the door of departure, concern for her friend wishing to take priority, but the last minute request ultimately winning over as she knew that both Skye and Vanessa would give her grief over the spoiled foods otherwise.

Sighing, she planted herself in front of the stove. Well, it looked like they were nearly done anyway, so this shouldn't be too difficult…

"How could you ruin breakfast, Theora? You were only looking over them for a minute, god." Skye complained, still scooping up an egg with a utensil regardless. Vanessa was still strangely absent from the scene, so the unkempt-looking blonde had free reign to once again bitch about Theora's existence. It seemed that the drunkenness and events of last night had completely corroded over whatever pleasant mood Skye had been in towards her. Well, it was nice while it lasted.

"You haven't even tried it." Theora pointed out, her tone guarded. She didn't want Skye to know that she was being bothered by what was said – showing weakness to Skye on a regular day was one thing, but when the blonde was hung-over and a bit shrewd in appearance, it was quite another. Skye would not have the satisfaction of looking like shit and still besting her; not today.

"It looks like shit, therefore it is shit." Skye declared, grabbing two pieces of toast that had already been made prior to Theora's caretaking and settling down by the dining table. "That's all there is to it."

"Why, when Vanessa returns she'll tell you just how wrong you –"

"So a virgin, huh? I honestly can't say I expected that, it's been awhile since I've been with someone naïve to having sex before." His voice carried down the hallway, silencing Theora midsentence.

"Shh! Not so loud, gee…" came the paranoid response. "Yes, I _was_ one, until you happened to come along and spike the apple juice last night…"

"Oh, so you remember now? Well babe, I was only giving you what your inner desire wanted. You just weren't strong enough to wrestle over your insecurities, so I helped you along."

"I had no intention of sleeping with you!" Vanessa's voice elevated, speaking sharply.

"Well, your blonde friend did, and she has no problem with it… and neither did you, last night." He gave her a playful wink, to which she responded with an indignant scowl. There was something about her attitude that he found adorable. He hadn't had this much fun with banter since he slept with Sally a few years ago.

"Took advantage of me, you did…" Vanessa grumbled; her tone adopting a mellow grace. Gilder raised a brow, a sly smile forming on his face.

"You and Skye had every intention of taking advantage of me last night, as I'm sure you can remember." Gilder pointed out, stopping in his stride to look at the shorter girl beside him. Her eyes sparkled with an intensity that looked to be a mixture of anger and uncertainty. An interesting character she was. "I was just ensuring that the feeling was mutual. I got what I wanted, as did you two Red Rogues. We're all pirates; gotta share the booty sometimes, right?"

Vanessa covered her face with her hands, groaning at the intentional pun that spewed out of his mouth. She honestly didn't know how to respond to it, for he did speak the truth – their goal was to take advantage of him, and it was her fault for not noticing that he had slipped something into their drinks. It was probably during the birthday celebration for Theora. Everyone else had been too distracted and singing along to catch him in the act – and now she would just have to come to accept what had happened as fact.

"I…"

"And just for the record, and so we're clear… It wasn't me or Skye that suggested the threesome." Gilder, always the charming man, also knew how to be powerfully honest. Vanessa gasped, mouth hung open in surprise. That couldn't be true… It just couldn't! "So if you were wondering how we ended up in your bed… It was all your idea, my princess." He winked. Everything that Vanessa felt she had grown to understand about herself… shattered, in that moment. Whatever she had pieced together as her being had just been proven a fallacy; a mere illusion. She had never before felt so ashamed.

"Gilder, I'd appreciate it if you just… left, now." She sounded so small; almost saddened by the news he casually delivered. Gilder's eyes sparkled with understanding, and something else.

"Your wish is my command, my dear. Though if it is any comfort to you, with everyone else I have slept with over the years… they have never seen me in the morning." He paused, to see if she got what he meant. She just provided a blank stare. "It wasn't… meaningless, in other words. I hope to see you two around sometime again soon." He gave a short bow, straightened his red jacket and his shades before he headed for the door.

"Gilder?" Vanessa called out uncertainly. He paused by the doorway.

"Hmm?"

"It's… just Vanessa. The nicknames… I don't really like them."

"Oh, very well then. Good day to you, Vanessa. Send my regards to Skye and Emilia." With a nod and another smile, he headed out onto the deck. There was a few moments of silence until it finally dawned on Vanessa that they had been speaking openly… right in the hallway adjacent to the kitchen. Skye and Theora must have heard _everything_. Ah, shit. She'd never be able to live this down.

Her stomach painfully seized up again, and with a rush she went back to the bathroom. At least she could delay seeing her crewmates… if only for the moment.

* * *

The flight to Maramba proved mostly uneventful for the trio – Vanessa had never reappeared after they had overheard her conversation with Gilder; she must have felt too ashamed to have to face them. An odd silence had fallen over Skye and Theora in the kitchen during that time. They ate together, sat at the round dining table – Skye turned out to enjoy breakfast after her initial complaining, though she didn't apologize for her rudeness. She did, however, volunteer to clean up so that Theora could pilot them out as soon as possible.

They encountered nothing. No monsters, no ships; just the southerly wind that gracefully led them to their destination. It would be a short stop, as Skye and Vanessa had already restocked their supplies while Theora had been on her palace adventure. Theora didn't really see the point to even stopping in Maramba. What could there possibly be to steal in a town off the beaten track? Besides, that's where the circulation of rumors concerning the Blue Rogues was originating from. There wasn't any beneficial cause to going there, unless…

Theora's eyes darted over the seemingly endless desert. Did Vanessa want to steal from the very mythical temple that the Blue Rogues had supposedly disappeared to? Stealing from another faction of pirates would be a daring venture, especially since the Blue Rogues were on the opposite side of the spectrum from them – the Blue Rogues were the kind to help people in need, not kick them while they're down. Theora sighed. She wouldn't mind experiencing gratitude from the populace for once. Traveling with the Red Rogues, though… that was never going to happen; not under Skye's watch. Oh well, one could always dream.

The usual routine proceeded as soon as she docked the ship; she watched as Skye casually jumped over the side onto the platform, waving for Vanessa to join her. Theora didn't know why, but she felt a chill as she saw Vanessa cautiously approach the edge, the one that she would normally gracefully hop over. The armor donned teen seemed a bit off – even from the bridge, Theora could see how pale her friend's face was. Vanessa wiped some sweat from her brow, opting instead to slide the plank down onto the platform. Theora frowned. That was the first time she had ever seen Vanessa so careful about her departure; there had to be something wrong. What was this feeling? Theora couldn't shake it, even as she watched Skye and Vanessa head up the steps and into town.

"Get a grip, Theora… Everything's fine." She sighed. For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to believe those words.

* * *

"They made off with Bellena, they did!" One bulky man shouted, tone full of displeasure. "She's the only reason I came here for, and those bloody Blue Rogues made off with her!"

"Now, good sir, she had made it clear that her position here was a temporary one; we all knew it was only a matter of time before she left. A pity it came so soon, though." The bartender set down a glass he had been polishing, eyes darting from his customer to the door as the handle emitted its signature creak. Two girls came in, one looking a little worse for wear as she leaned on her friend for support, breathing heavily.

"Some water for my friend, please." The blonde spoke quickly, leading her companion to a grouping of pillows resting against the wall. Slowly she bent her knees, directing the other to take up residence on the floor.

"What happened? She doesn't look too well." The bartender came over with the requested glass of water, handing it to the blonde. He also got down on his knees to examine his new 'customer' of sorts.

"We were going to go shopping after a quick stop here, and she collapsed." The blonde's cerulean eyes flashed in the bartender's direction. "She's been muttering gibberish ever since."

"_Tus murtal, mi amie_…" As if on cue, the dark haired teen croaked a response. The bartender raised a brow.

"Complete delirium… How long has she been like this?" The bartender inquired as the blonde gently held the glass to her friend's mouth.

"Come on, Vanessa… don't want you getting heat stroke or anything, now." She tilted her friend's head back a bit before pouring some water in. Vanessa swallowed it, though she was otherwise unresponsive. Her eyes stared blankly at the bartender – no, it looked like she was seeing through him, the way she was looking. It was slightly eerie, he had to admit. "She hasn't been feeling well at all this morning. She was all right until we got past the gate from the main street, though."

"Has she ever been like this before?" The bartender further pressed.

"I've never seen her ill before. She usually likes rubbing her good health in my face." Skye shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant though her expression showed deepening concern. Vanessa was still whispering incomprehensible nothings. Neither of the two sat beside her noticed the growing wariness in her eyes.

"Well, I think it would be best if you got her to a doctor… As a bartender, I can't really do anything to help except serve drinks. I do have some in the back that works as a sedative, if it gets worse. Do you want some of that? Also, I'll fetch a messenger to tell Milon to bring a dhabu over – doesn't look like she's going to be moving from that spot."

"That would be great, thanks." Skye's voice expressed appreciation that was rarely ever seen from the tricky blonde. Stress from Vanessa's rapidly degrading well being had caused her to completely forget what kind of reputation she hoped to exude at all times. There was a time and place for everything. As the bartender left to retrieve the sedative, Skye helped Vanessa with the rest of the water, the latter still obediently swallowing and allowing the liquid to trickle down her throat. "What were you thinking, coming along if you felt like this?" Skye put down the empty glass, her cool hand wiping some stray hairs off of her friend's forehead. "We promised each other to lay low if we're under the weather… did you forget, already?"

"I've got it. Milon will be over in a couple minutes." The bartender reappeared in view, his large frame almost daunting from their crouched perspective. He handed over a case of the fluid.

"How much?" Skye asked. She was already reaching for her pouch.

"Free of charge. I can't expect a price from someone that's in need of it. Just be careful with how much is consumed, though. This stuff is enough to put someone in a coma if mishandled."

"Why do you have something like that at a bar?" Skye blinked. The bartender let out a chuckle.

"Would it surprise you to hear that not all a bartender handles is alcoholic beverages? We're licensed to brew medical concoctions as well – as long as we don't experiment on our customers, of course."

"O… of course…" His reasoning sounded completely bizarre, and at the same time legitimate. There was more to the role of owning a tavern than Skye realized. She still didn't really care, though.

Skye was shoved off to the side, completely unprepared for when a blur of red and the sound of scraping metal zoomed past her. The bartender let out a gasp, too slow to grab their clearly disoriented patient. Vanessa bolted through the door, the calls of her name falling on deaf ears.

"What the hell?" Skye pushed herself up, grabbing the case of the unnamed medical beverage with one hand. The bartender looked perturbed, lacking the ability to understand what just happened. A sickly girl like that shouldn't have been able to move, let alone dash out the door.

"If she doesn't know where she is, there may be trouble…" The bartender mumbled out quickly. "I don't think she's completely with it at the moment." Skye threw him a dark glare.

"Ya think?" _Brilliant deduction, dumbass._ "I'm going after her. Thanks for the help." And before the bartender could give a reply, Skye was out the door.

"That was rude." The bulky, partially drunk man from before commented. "Shoulda been more grateful to you for giving a rat's ass, and to me for allowing them to interrupt an important discussion here! Bellena, man, Bellena!" The bartender sighed. From one extremity to the other… oh well, at least his days never were that dull.

* * *

"Moons, where'd she go?" Skye panted, vigorously whipping her head around every which way for a chance to sight her friend. Vanessa had gone off the deep end; Skye could only hope she didn't get into any trouble. A red haired fellow was approaching her, a purple dhabu in tow.

"Are you looking for something?" He asked politely, stopping a few feet away. He was heading over to the tavern by the bartender's request.

"Some_one_, actually. Slightly taller than me, dark curly hair, wearing red –"

"Oh, the gal with the fashionable boots? Yeah, she was heading for the docks." Well, that was quick. Why was she going there, though?

"Thanks." Skye started to head off, but she paused for a moment and turned back to the civilian. "Hey, are you Milon?" He seemed surprised that she knew his name. As flattered as he was that another foreigner knew him, he hadn't introduced himself yet.

"Yes?" He didn't know what to expect.

"Barkeep doesn't need you now." And she left him to stand there, feeling so very slightly confused about what was going on. The purple dhabu snorted behind him and started nibbling the ends of his hair.

* * *

Skye was out of breath as she returned to the vessel, praying by some sort of random luck that Vanessa had opted to flee back to the Thalia rather than mistakenly boarding another ship. Vanessa hadn't been acting like herself, and to say that Skye was worried was an understatement. She could only hope that her friend had not completely lost it – they had met individuals with a few screws loose before, and she much preferred if Vanessa didn't join their ranks.

"Vanessa?" She called, walking slowly, listening intently. She wasn't surprised that she didn't receive a response, though she was still hoping. "Yo Theora, you around?"

"We're up here." came the distant reply. From the bridge, Skye gathered. She climbed up the ladder and pushed open the door.

"Vanessa, I've been looking all over for –" Skye started, though she stopped short at what she saw. "…you?"

"Skye, what happened? She just rushed back here and um… has been like this since." It was apparent by the confusion on Theora's face that she had no clue what was going on. Not that anyone could blame her; it wasn't an expectation to have one of your friends storm in, fiercely grab you, drag you to a bench, and then proceed to relentlessly hug you through muted sobs. Theora was still in this position, wrapped in Vanessa's arms as the older teen buried her face in Theora's hair.

"I… don't know. She collapsed, and uh…" Skye scratched her chin, then realizing that she still held the bottle full of the sedative in her other hand. "I know a way to regain her senses, but you're going to have to get her to drink some of this." Skye went over to one of the storage units built into the floor and pulled it open, digging through its contents until she found what she was looking for. She pulled out the shot glass and closed the lid, carefully pouring just a few drops into the glass.

"What will that do?" Theora asked. She wasn't even going to bother asking where Skye had got it from; one could only reasonably assume that it had been stolen.

"It'll knock her out for a bit, but she'll recover."

"… _su levum en comfren_, _Theora_." A gentle whisper sounded through her pigtails. Theora widened her eyes. "… so glad you're safe." Skye wordlessly handed Theora the shot glass, staring expectantly at the twerp to do something with it.

"Hey, Vanessa…" Theora gently pulled away so that she could see the other girl's face. She hesitantly held up the glass. "I brought you something to drink." A look of pleasure spread across Vanessa's face then, very much enjoying being in Theora's presence. It bothered Skye a bit that she felt she was being completely ignored; that Vanessa, in her hallucinatory state, would choose to acknowledge Theora over her – but she knew she was just being silly. She should feel grateful that the kid had managed to keep Vanessa here, rather than wandering outside; even if Theora hadn't really done anything about it.

Vanessa drank the contents of the glass and a flash of alarm graced her eyes as she pushed Theora away, betrayal evident in her gaze. She could already feel her eyelids drooping and her movements becoming sluggish. She backed herself into a corner; her eyes alit with unspoken fury, entirely focused on Theora. As her back began to slide down the wall, her attention was broken for just a moment, as if she had finally just realized that someone else was in the room. A defiant look that transcended into softness spread across her face as she looked at her.

"Skye…" It came out slurred, but the recognition was there. She promptly passed out right after. Skye walked over to her fallen friend, her expression unreadable.

"Theora, I'm going to need your help to get her to her room." So it was down to business already. Theora didn't mind that they weren't going to speak about what just happened – she was still shaken by the event, and didn't know what she could say anyway. Together they lifted Vanessa up and headed to her room. They plopped her down on her bed, propping the pillow under her head. Skye left soon after to mull over her thoughts elsewhere. Theora sat down at the edge of the bed and grasped one of Vanessa's hands with her own.

"What did you mean back there…?" Theora uttered, observing the peaceful look of her silent comrade. "What am I safe from?"

END CHAPTER 9


	10. Stories in the Stars

Chapter 10: Stories in the Stars

Hours would pass before Vanessa would awaken from her slumber; hours filled with unexpected perils and life threatening situations that the Red Rogues would not take part of, safely harboured as they were in Maramba. A giant red beam of blinding light shot straight into the sky from an undetermined location in the desert for most who saw it – but Vyse, Aika, and Fina, in their rush to escape, knew exactly where it was coming from.

The Red Moon Crystal gleamed brightly in its indented spot on the alter before the temple; a symbol of deception and betrayal to those who had risked their lives to gain possession of it. Bellena, the belly dancer that they had befriended in Maramba, had lied to them to gain their trust. Well, she hadn't completely lied – the story about her father dying in the war was true, but she had never said he was a Nasr soldier. No, she was of Valuan descent, and not only that, but she was part of the Valuan Armada – the fourth admiral Belleza, to be precise.

The lady Belleza was quite famous for her ability to manipulate and avoid direct confrontation to get what she wanted. Thus she had assumed the guise of a belly dancer and offered assistance to the Blue Rogues when they needed it most. She believed in the policy of "I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine". And oh, how they had, however unwillingly. With their help she had just commanded the rising of the Red Gigas Recumen, and given it her first order: to engulf the hapless trio in flames.

Shit they were screwed.

The strange pillars surrounding the alter started shifting, pools of sand rippling off of them in waves as they rose. The stone around the statue heads cracked and violently shattered as the heads took on a life of their own; swivelling in any which way with eyes that glowed the fiercest gold. One of the heads caught sight of the loitering trio, and from its mouth it began to charge a huge laser.

"Run… RUN!" Vyse and the two girls pulled away from their spot, pelting across the sand as fast as they could muster. Vyse and Aika were managing okay with the arrangement, but unused to the physical exertion she was forcing herself to do, Fina was straggling behind. Her outfit was not helping either, impeding the movement of her legs. She tripped and landed flat on her face. It was only a matter of time. Both of the Blue Rogues heard Fina's startled cry and skidded to a halt, turning back to see what happened.

"Fina!" The two rushed over to her, who had slowly pushed herself from the sand. She was on her hands and knees, panting.

"I'm sorry, I tripped…" She mumbled. A hissing sound caught Vyse's ear and he turned to face it. Recumen had finished charging. _Shit_! Instinctually he threw his body before the two girls, not thinking that his body would likely provide little protection against something several storeys high. Fortunately his lack of thinking would not spell the death of them all – for someone unexpected had just come to play the role of their hero. An explosion sounded off against the charging head, forcing it to expel its laser away from its intended target. The laser ripped through the sand and forged a sandstorm in its wake. The trapped teenagers would not have to worry about their jeopardizing position on the desert floor for much longer, though. Their hero rode in on his dinky ship confidently.

"Captain!" Vyse exclaimed, a mixture of surprise and relief echoing from the tone of his voice. The Little Jack hovered over them, inviting them to board. Drachma had returned for them.

"Admiral Belleza, that ship is rescuing them." The Valuan solider stationed behind Belleza, a man appropriately nicknamed 'Captain Obvious' by his colleagues, reported. Not amused, Belleza ordered him to ready her ship (the Lynx) to ensure that they couldn't escape. As the soldier left to act out her command, Belleza couldn't help but smile to herself. So she would get the opportunity to see what they were made of after all.

(Insert awesome battle of the Little Jack facing off against an invincible foe that lame cannons cannot defeat and then their inevitable retreat from Recumen here)

"Nothing is working!" Vyse spoke; exasperated after the long battle of inevitable failure. Drachma further decided to affirm their dreadful predicament by stating quite matter-of-factly that they would lose if they continued to fight it straight on. Unlike the two guys, this gave Aika to ask Fina an important question.

"Hey Fina, can you think of a way to stop it?" And so the crew learned from Fina that the Gigas did not make their own decisions, and that they simply obeyed commands given by the one who awakened them. As Belleza was the culprit, they devised the only plan that made sense – attack the Valuan Admiral and force her to call off the Gigas.

And so a dogfight ensued, one that left the team on the Little Jack constantly scrambling for repair kits and casting of Sacres while the Lynx battered them relentlessly with torpedoes and cannons. A pink ship meant serious business. Vyse and Aika seriously couldn't find any openings to exploit, but Drachma had finally suggested the usage of the Harpoon Cannon. Now they just had to wait for the right moment to use it…

It took a good twenty minutes, but after Vyse smartly chose to force the Little Jack to a complete stop, Belleza was thrown off and left the Lynx vulnerable to attack. They wasted no time in impaling the sinister pinkness with their harpoon cannon. With an explosive roar, the Lynx was felled, hovering at a steady decline towards the sandy depths below.

"Aika, signal Belleza's ship! Tell them we will attack if they don't call off that Gigas." Vyse ordered, and with a fist pump and a cheer Aika complied. Drachma was uncertain that Belleza would actually go along with their demands, but Vyse reassured him that Belleza would not needlessly sacrifice the lives of her crew. It appeared that Vyse was correct in his assumption, for the four next saw something that filled them with delight – Recumen was sinking into the sands below. The Lynx made an emergency landing, and during that time the Blue Rogues collected the Red Moon Crystal.

"You may have won this battle, but you are far from winning the war. There are five Crystals left. The Valuan Armada never makes the same mistake twice. You shall not defeat us again." Belleza stood with her arms crossed, flaming red hair glimmering in the sun.

"And we won't make the mistake of underestimating you again either. We'll get those Crystals." Vyse retorted. As if to emphasize his coy confidence, he then asked Fina in front of their enemy, "Where do we head to next?"

"Southwest of Nasr, beyond the South Ocean… There is a continent under the Green Moon." Fina replied simply. Vyse took a step back, his mouth agape.

"Really? There is a continent on the other side of the South Ocean?" Vyse felt like he had grown up in an enclosed bubble, with the amount of discoveries and new knowledge he was acquiring on this adventure. Fina looked happy to be able to reveal this to him.

"Yes. The Green Crystal should be there."

"Ha, that's the continent of Ixa'taka. Our soldiers are already there." Belleza hoped to pop the inflating balloon of Vyse's ego. "Besides, the South Ocean has a strong headwind. You'll never make it across with that tiny ship of yours."

"No need to worry about that." Drachma stepped up to the plate. "We'll be taking your engine. We'll get through there easy, lulz." As quick as he came, he left, leaving the trio to deal with Belleza's prompt surprise.

"What? Then how am I going to get back?" This was _not_ amusing.

"We all decided that you should go back on foot. You trick us… we take your engine… I think we're even now." A grin plastered itself across Aika's face. "What was that saying again? 'Only those who have walked through the desert can truly know its size.'"

"You want me to… walk?" It took a moment to process in her head. "… Heh. Well… I guess I don't have much of a choice." Belleza shrugged. She never realized that she truly would learn the size of the desert… no time like the present, as they say.

The Little Jack started its new engine, and with a satisfied roar lifted up and sailed away, leaving Belleza to stand alone and stare thoughtfully at its departure.

* * *

"Ah… now that was a strange dream." Vanessa grumbled, stretching her arms as she slowly regained consciousness. Her head felt slightly lightheaded and her stomach still clenched in pain as it had prior to her nap, but it wasn't bothering her as much now. Vanessa blinked drowsily, sitting up and looking around her room. As her eyes lazily wandered over to the porthole, it finally struck her what time it was. "Dusk? I slept all day?" Well, she certainly had never done that before. Having no real explanation for it, Vanessa came to the only 'reasonable' conclusion that her guilt for sleeping with Gilder (and Skye) plus her morning ailments had caused her to nap for much longer than intended. She would have thought that one of them would have woken her up by now, though. Weird.

She decided that she'd prepare them a meal for the evening (neither Skye nor Theora knew how to properly cook, so she could safely assume that they hadn't eaten dinner yet) and then inquire as to what she had missed. She supposed the day must have been relatively uneventful if they couldn't have even felt bothered to retrieve her. Perhaps they'd have a salad tonight. It was always good to have a healthy balance between meats and greens during the week.

The two other members of the crew never clued into Vanessa's moving about until she cheerfully called for them both to join her for dinner. They filed in together, and at the sight of her they exchanged a quick look of wariness – what, was there something on her face? This whole day was turning out bizarre.

"Had a good sleep in?" Theora asked, breaking the awkward silence that had befallen the room upon their entrance. With the tongs she grabbed a sustainable amount of the salad (sneaking in a few extra pieces of avocado when the other two weren't looking) and poured some ranch dressing on it.

"Yeah, I guess…" Vanessa thought about it, scrunching up her face. "Had the oddest dream, though."

"Oh?" Theora perked up with curiosity. "Do you remember what about?"

"Uh, well…" To be honest, she couldn't remember very much. She hadn't dwelled on it after waking up, and her recollection of it had become foggy relatively quickly as a result. "You both were in it… as was I. I was playing the violin. I was really good at it, actually." Vanessa looked pleased while she handed Skye a serving of the salad, starting now to prepare her own plate. "I can't really remember what else, but it was very… green. Oh, and there was a fountain." She took the bottle of ranch dressing and dumped some on her own plate. "Pretty pointless dream, but it was nice. Couldn't understand a word the two of you were saying, though. Have you two been learning a dialect I don't know of while I slept?" She teased, knowing full well that the two would not spend any more time than absolutely necessary together.

For whatever the reason, the question was left hanging. Vanessa had asked it as an intentional hook to spark Skye to join the conversation, but she remained silent, sat by the table and eating the food before her rather absentmindedly.

"Did I miss something?" Vanessa was beginning to feel uneasy. They weren't acting natural. "Skye?"

"What?" Skye's attention focused in on Vanessa, a questioning look on her face.

"Are you… all right? It's not usual for you to space out like this." Genuine concern laced those words. Skye straightened up, glasses resting on the bridge of her nose.

"I'm… okay, haven't been feeling that well myself." She lied. It was a good enough opportunity for a cover story right there; especially after she and Theora had agreed only not too long before to not tell Vanessa what had happened earlier today if she didn't remember it. Vanessa's innocence and shoddy recollection of her dream confirmed that she remembered nothing, so it was not worth stressing her out about it. "Theora, the palace of the Nasultan called. They want their front arch back."

"Hmm?" Theora raised a brow, mouth still full. She swallowed quickly, a quizzical expression on her face. "I didn't steal an arch, it was the chalice; they should know that." Skye glanced over to Vanessa, who gave a knowing look in return.

"Theora, she's commenting on your posture." The pre-teen was completely slouched in her chair; an odd moment where she wasn't trying to be the perfect citizen. Theora went rigid as a board immediately, as if to deflect the observation that had already been made.

"Like she's one to talk…" Theora muttered, glowering at Skye. The trio shared a laugh, the awkwardness between them finally broken. Now things could return to normal. They shared an amiable discussion on whatever topics came to their minds, poking good fun at each other and at one point coming up with rather disturbing dares that none of them followed through with.

"Wow… it looks rather pretty out there, tonight." Vanessa commented, noticing the clear skies from the kitchen porthole. The stars shone brilliantly, while the desert lands below were beautifully illuminated by the light of the red moon. "Might have to camp out on the deck and do some stargazing. Anybody want to join in?"

"Oh me! You know how much I love stargazing." Theora jumped up from her chair in excitement. They both stared expectantly at Skye. Blue eyes locked with hazel.

"… Will there be s'mores?" Her tone was soft; serious. Vanessa held the gaze, her face platonic.

"There will be s'mores."

"Ah what the heck, I'll join in. I know you two would get bored shitless without me, so I'm only providing a selfless service to the two of ya." Skye winked. "To further my appropriately kind gesture, I'll get some blankets. Be back soon." And the blonde did just that, inconspicuously timing her departure so that she wouldn't have to wash dishes for a second time that day. Figures.

They all reconvened on the deck shortly afterward, bringing with them what they believed to be the necessities for this night time outing: the aforementioned makings for s'mores and the blankets that Skye actually retrieved after all. Nights over the desert were really cold in contrast to the overbearingly hot days, so it was thoughtful that she brought two for each of them. She took the most notably fluffy ones for herself, but as she had got them in the first place, no one (Theora) could complain. Vanessa had brought with her a small portable heater that they could use to heat the marshmallows. They were set.

"Mmm… delicious." Skye ate a s'more, not caring that her marshmallow had proved sticky and residue now remained on her fingers. She licked them off, content as she wrapped up in her comfortably warm blankets.

"We totally eat too much junk." Vanessa sighed, seeming to possess no guilt as she consumed one of her own s'mores. "I made the salad with the intention of a healthy dinner for the three of us."

"Well, you didn't think of dessert this time!" Theora teased. "Skye was totally onto something when she mentioned s'mores, these taste amazing."

"No worries, miss. We'll just work any excess off tomorrow. I'm sure there will be monsters to fight or idiots to bombard or something like that, there usually is." Skye then turned to Theora. "Since she doesn't usually participate in that, we can make her run laps. Fifty around the edges of the deck sound good?"

"Hey!" Theora cried out. Vanessa chuckled. "That's not nice." Skye playfully punched her in the shoulder.

"I'm just teasing, geez. Don't take everything so personally." Skye's eyes were warm as she looked at Theora; a rare occurrence that the younger girl took note of. Theora wasn't quite sure what it was about this day, but it had changed them. Skye now seemed a lot more appreciative with how things were. She must have been shaken by today's events more than Theora had realized. Theora looked over at the subject of the day's worries, finding her marvelling over the constellations above them. It truly was a gorgeous night.

"I wish I knew the names of some of these constellations…" Vanessa murmured; her gaze soft as she stared at the bright dotted lights above them. "It feels like there's a storytelling luxury to be found there, but I don't know the first thing about them."

"They're probably boring tales anyway." Skye shrugged, ignoring the look Theora gave her. There was a reason she called her a pipsqueak; she was always one to jump to conclusions. "We could come up with our own accounts for them. That'd be much more fun than reciting boring historical stories, I wager." Theora's face lit up at the idea while Vanessa internally questioned if she entirely agreed with what Skye had just said. It didn't really matter.

"So what would you two come up with for… that one?" Vanessa pointed to a group of stars hanging overhead in the direction of Esparanza.

"Oh! Looks like a ship." Theora spoke excitedly as she drew out her vision with a finger for reference. "I'd peg it more as a merchant vessel though, because it lacks sufficient firepower to be as awesome as the Thalia."

"And those stars?" Vanessa directed their attention to the cluster right next to the 'merchant vessel', this time looking expectantly at Skye.

"Simple. Stowaway rape victim." Theora gasped.

"Skye, that's horrible!"

"Well, look at it like this…" Skye drew out said victim with her own figure, emphasizing the circular lump near the center. "She's hunched and is awfully close to the vessel. Can't be any other explanation."

"Could have said that it was a fat merchant from Nasr or something, geez…" Theora leaned back, sighing at Skye's apparently warped imagination. She expected at the very least that Skye would conjure a monster from those stars to sink her celestial ship, but Skye had a tendency of breaking past expectations.

"That would be racist." Skye's eyes twinkled as they met with Theora's. It was obvious that she didn't care in the slightest, but she couldn't just let a potential slip like that be left alone. "Now where have you been picking up these manners, young lady? It's very rude to assume that just because the fellow might pack some assets in particular areas he's a Nasr man."

"Like you care." Theora challenged. "Besides, such comments I probably picked up from you, which means you've just insulted yourself, so there." Theora stuck out her tongue.

"Ah, my dear, you just admitted that I'm an influence to you. I must be a great role model." Skye grinned while Theora realized the blonde's point and groaned. Vanessa giggled. She always loved the playful banter between them, especially when it wasn't volatile. She had finished preparing some s'mores while the other two were distracted, and now with their eyes on her she set down the full plate before them.

"Bon appetite, as all chefs seem required to say!" Vanessa made a gesture, which was received with blank looks. "Um… dig in?"

"It would be my pleasure." Skye began devouring the ones closest to her, salivating at the taste. They needed to have these things on the menu more often. Theora successfully hoarded a few away from her usual verbal combatant, enjoying hers with a slightly more delicate air as she took longer to consume them. Vanessa ate a few before deciding to lie down on her back to give herself a broadening view of the skies above them. A content smile flickered on her face. The day may have been wasted, but the evening was turning out rather nice.

It wasn't too much longer before her gluttonous companions ate the last of the s'mores and joined her in lying down on the deck, cocooned in their blankets to preserve the heat that the cool breeze threatened to take away from them. They were each about an arm's length away from each other, Theora having taken up residence between the older duo. They continued their game from earlier, coming up with names for the constellations and stories that ranged from sane to questionable. There was one particular constellation that the young brunette took to heart during this venture, and as she came to accept the idea she decided she would share it with them.

She jabbed a finger straight up from their viewpoint, bringing their focus on a small group of stars that were somewhat distanced from others. However small, these three stars shone more brightly than those around them, and were spaced just enough from each other to form the simple shape of a triangle.

"The Triad constellation," she began, her voice echoing with strong conviction, "is one of the simplest, but most beautiful formations of all stars. Unlike their brethren, who might symbolize traveling merchants or… erm, rape victims, the triad tells a story of three individuals from different backgrounds that together forged a friendship through a common interest. They are as free as the wind, and though they sometimes might encounter rough patches from being so close for so long, their bond will forever endure. Through thick and thin, deserts or forests, it endures." Theora sat up and shifted so that she could face the two that lay beside her. "I just… wanted to thank you two for being my friends. I know I can sometimes be a pain to deal with, I'm sure –" Her eyes were on Skye as she said this, "but I wanted you both to know that I appreciate everything that we've done together. I've been able to live my dream, and it's all thanks to you two. So… yeah." Theora blushed. She had just put all of her feelings out in the open.

"Aw, Theora…" Vanessa now straightened up, positioning herself to give the girl a strong hug. "I feel the same way. Thank you for always being there."

"Yikes, stumbled into mushy territory there…" Skye mumbled to herself. However, despite her dislike of Theora's method of bleeding her heart out, it still felt… nice to be appreciated. Skye had never realized that she could actually mean something to Theora. Her eyes lingered on the constellation the younger girl had just dedicated to them, her heart warming that one of those stars represented her. They didn't care where she came from; they just accepted her for who she was. She couldn't have been more fortunate.

Her eyes flickered over to her comrades, still embracing with sentimentality. Ah, to hell with it, one hug wouldn't hurt her…

END CHAPTER 10


	11. Aerial Duel

Chapter 11: Aerial Duel

The night had grown long for Vanessa, Skye, and Theora. All had too much fun in the others' company to retreat for the night; the three girls sharing stories and eating sweets. It had been a nice night; no clouds blocking the view of the twinkling stars above. The sun peaked its rays near the horizon; an indication that it was time for bed.

Vanessa was the first one to wake up; the reveal of the time causing the pirate to groan and bury her head in multiple layers of blankets. She shouldn't have been surprised that she had slept in so late, considering the night the three had experienced. It was noon; the three had slept through breakfast. Perhaps she could still squeeze in a few more minutes…

Unfortunately for her, her stomach had other plans. As she lay there, shielding her eyes from the unforgiving light that burst through the porthole, it suddenly began to gurgle. She ignored it, still stubbornly clinging to the last bit of drowsiness that still ran prevalent in her system. It dried up fairly quickly when she suddenly shot up in pain, clutching her abdomen in vain as if the motion could actually help her in this predicament.

"Fine." She grumbled to herself, pushing off the comforting layers of her bed to trudge off towards the bathroom. She would have to find some medicine when they arrived in Sailor's Island because this was just getting ridiculous.

Her trauma went largely unnoticed by the two other occupants of the ship, as they didn't begin to stir until around an hour after. She had already prepared their lunch and stored it in the fridge at that point for whenever they felt hungry. Apparently their motives for getting out of bed were also stomach related – hunger drove them to the kitchen, where a simple but wonderful dish of sandwiches awaited their arrival. Vanessa wished her awakening had been so gentle and generous. She could have ignored hunger pains.

They sat down together, playfully teasing Theora's frazzled morning hairdo as she hadn't yet freshened up and her strands were denying gravity as a result. Her hair was down, her ties wrapped around her right arm for when she would later take up residence in front of the mirror. Her pigtails were an art form; she couldn't just haphazardly put them together without visual assistance. Its rare appearance of gently rolling down her shoulders and back were also complimented by the two elder crew – Skye insisting that she looked a lot better that way (by calling the pigtails stupid, naturally) and Theora casually deflecting it by supporting the practicality of the other hairstyle.

"Psh, like you need a reason to tie your hair back. You do jack shit." The blonde laughed, flicking her hair around. "Not to mention that even with my vigorous contribution to the team, I can still pull it off with my flowing locks spread about. It's called talent." Skye added in before Theora got a chance to retort. Seeing the brunette's face scrunched up was a clear indication that she was about to perform an obvious comeback. Oh, how that girl could be so predictable.

"I do plenty!" She cried, pointing to the direction of the bridge. "I pilot the damn ship; something that you'd only die trying to do." Skye growled at the direct insult; not at all impressed with Theora's comment.

"Come on, you two…" Vanessa sighed, her tone tinted with a hint of depression. She should have known that the moments they shared last night were fleeting, but was it foolish to hope that it lasted another day? She supposed it was; she should be adjusted to the rollercoaster that was Skye and Theora's friendship by now. "We each specialize in something different here. There is no point in questioning one's usefulness without having first stepped in their shoes. Not," Vanessa hastily added, before they got any ideas, "that I'm supporting that we switch tasks. That could be potentially dangerous, given our occupations." She paused. "Well, not mine. You two would likely just burn the food or give us dysentery and get us lost or something."

"That's just as important as flying or firing cannons." Theora disagreed. "Not that I know what dysentery is, but…"

"Don't wanna know, trust me." Skye scoffed. "Fine, I apologize, but not to you, squirt. She's got a point."

"Whatever…" Theora leaned back, looking dejected.

"Well, we could always try learning from each other." Vanessa suggested. Immediate glares from the other two expressed rampant disapproval at the idea. Clearly neither wanted to be the other's 'underling' or inferior, if even briefly. "OR… I'll learn from the two of you, and then teach it to the other. Would that work?"

"I'd much rather learn from you than lassie over there." Skye nudged her head in Theora's direction, crossing her arms. "Her inability to teach will kill us all." Vanessa shot a warning look but Skye ignored it, smirking as Theora visibly quaked in her seat. She was about to retort that the same could be said of Skye but was discouraged from doing so by a shake of Vanessa's head. It wouldn't solve anything; only give more fire to an unneeded confrontation.

"Baw ha ha, I'm Theora! I can fly ships and be useless and not know how to do anything but be a useless bitch." Skye shaped her hair into pigtails and stuck out her tongue. "Not to mention I put my hair back when it isn't even necessary because I don't do a damn thing."

Theora let out a huff, forming her fingers into circular binoculars. "Well, I'm Skye, a blind as a bat ignorant pirate who can't even tell you who it was she slept with the night before. Wait a minute, that doesn't even matter to me because I'm too blind to even see what they looked like!"

Skye's hand curled up into a fist as she pushed up her glasses with a sole finger. "I am _not_ a whore, Theora."

"I never implied you were one, Skye. Leave it to you to call it out all by yourself."

"Enough!" Vanessa yelled, her ears ringing from the loud voices. "When I said learn from each other, obviously I didn't mean argue until the both of you would turn blue in the face. What will it take to get it into the both of your heads that you two aren't the only residents on this ship?"

Both Skye and Theora threw Vanessa a blank stare.

"Oh, now I have your attention. Lovely." Vanessa hadn't had the chance to continue; her feet were shaking from the sudden vibrations under her feet.

"Great." Skye uttered as Vanessa grabbed a nearby ledge to support herself. The Thalia lurched, throwing Vanessa over her only means of balance and landing ungracefully on the floor.

"Moons, I swear…" Vanessa grumbled; her mood further dampened. Could this day be any more of a contrast to the night before? "Theora, get to the bridge, something's attacking us. Skye –"

"I know, I know." Skye pushed off from the chair, heading for the door. "I'll shoot those bastards from the sky."

"Um, I don't think either of that will help…" Theora spoke sheepishly, her attention drawn to the porthole.

"Why?" Vanessa lifted herself from the floor, catching sight of what the girl was looking at. There was a ship right next to them, clearly trying to board. "Oh, scratch that then. Theora, we still need you in the bridge; Skye, you got your gun with you?" The blonde was spinning her pistol with a finger. She grabbed it and cocked her head in Vanessa's direction.

"Of course I do. Got your knives?" Vanessa answered by pulling one out of its sheath. "Good. Let's teach these assholes what happens when they mess with us." Skye headed down the hallway with Vanessa in quick pursuit behind her. She stalled for a moment when Theora called out her name.

"Vanessa…" Theora looked uneasy. "You both be careful out there." Vanessa threw her a reassuring grin.

"Not to worry. We don't plan on losing our undefeated record quite yet." A sly wink later and Vanessa was around the corner, out of sight as she headed for the deck. Theora stared troubled for a moment at where her friend had been until she realized she had an order to act out. They'd be able to take care of themselves; she had her own job to do.

* * *

"So the prey has finally come out to play." A voice greeted them, as the two seniors of the Red Rogues piled out onto the deck of their ship. Vanessa and Skye sharply twisted their heads around, trying to find the source.

"About damn time." Another voice, distinctively female sounding, snapped. "Seriously, with how slow they reacted you'd think they weren't getting attacked."

"Now now, my dear, patience is key with a task like this. All is still going according to schedule; this should be wrapped up soon."

"Oh shut your holes." Skye shouted, visibly angry at the annoyance these two unwanted visitors were turning out to be. "Get your asses out in the open so I can kick them overboard."

"These are definitely the targets." The more intense of the two voices stated casually. "A blonde with a boisterous temper and her wary companion. Don't see why he took any interest in them; they look pretty worthless to me."

"Appearances can be deceiving…" The other, seemingly more wise of the unseen duo, murmured. "Be careful."

"Say that to my face, you cowards." Skye took a step forward, gun poised and ready. She scanned her surroundings, pissed that their adversaries hadn't yet revealed themselves. They were playing with them! Vanessa uneasily looked around. Where were the voices coming from? Something glinted out of the corner of her retinas; something shiny that caught the sunlight. A sharp icicle was heading straight for Skye!

"Skye, look out!" The red donned pirate leapt into action, redirecting the icicle with a well timed slice of her blade. It flew over the edge to fall into the depths of Deep Sky below. Skye's eyes widened at the close call.

"Where'd the hell that come from?" Skye exclaimed, realizing a bit too late her predicament. She was fortunate Vanessa had noticed.

"Aim for the banisters, they're above us!" Vanessa hissed. Skye looked up and found that she was right – two evasive figures were trying to hide beyond the staircase. Skye growled and fired a shot in their direction. The two jumped out of the way, but they knew their cover was blown. One fired a shot back at them and they stepped back to avoid it. The bullet hole in the ground before them assured that things were about to get serious.

"It appears we have been discovered, Joyce." The calmer of the two voices finally revealed its owner. It came from a beautiful, well endowed woman with wavy black hair that reached just beyond her shoulders; she wore a dark solid color headband to keep it contained. Her attire certainly accentuated her gender as she wore a dress that extended all the way to the floor, layered with a corset on top. The long dress was a beautiful blue while the corset was a golden yellow. Eyes of the finest sapphire color observed the two opposing pirates below, composure as elegant and refined as her beauty suggested.

"Least now we can have some fun with them, aye Renee?" Joyce snorted unflatteringly, smirking at her companion about the 'inconvenience' that was about to ensue. Renee had wanted this mission to be as quick and painless as possible – but there was no fun in attacking victims from behind. Joyce didn't care that the aforementioned plan could be considered dishonourable from the few shits that would argue that point; she just wanted to see them bleed. He had never said that they couldn't be damaged goods – a lacked specification that she would be sure to make him regret. If Renee would allow her to play, that is. Her partner seemed to sense her intention, because she commented on it a moment later.

"As unharmed as possible, remember. We want them in presentable condition." The wild smile disappeared from Joyce's face. Of course she'd say that, but she had hoped Renee would overlook it this time. After all, she failed to see why this mission required any more tact than usual.

"Who are you?" Vanessa demanded, clutching her knife in her right hand. "What do you want?"

"We've already introduced ourselves, genius." The red head of the duo sneered, rolling her chocolate eyes indignantly. "Seems the captain got his eyes on two real smart ladies here; _real_ impressive." Her voice was laden with sarcasm.

"Renee and Joyce of the Black Pirates. A pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Vanessa." Renee greeted, ignoring her comrade's flippant comment entirely. Vanessa's face shrouded in confusion.

"How do you know my –"

"We'll be getting to know each other much better fairly soon, of that I can assure you." Renee promised. She crossed her arms, her staff revealed as it rested securely in the crook of her right arm. "Now, down to business. I'd much rather not have to engage in a needless fight, so I have a proposition for the two of you."

Vanessa straightened, her face expressing curiosity.

"And what might that be?"

"Ah, it is good to see that the barbaric rumours of the Red Rogues are falsified. It is always a pleasant surprise to meet other pirates with proper etiquette and decency."

"Renee…" Joyce forced her to get to the point. She wasn't standing up here in her short black dress with her favourite yellow bow tied around her waist for nothing. She meant business, and it frustrated her to no end when Renee delayed the process.

"Right, sorry. Anyway, I offer you two simple options. One," she held up a finger to emphasize, "you will either come with us peacefully and without resistance or two," another finger raised, "we will beat you down and drag you back to the hull of our ship."

"And if we refuse these generous options you have presented us with?" Vanessa raised a brow.

"Yeah, only an idiot would consider those." Skye balked. "How about option three, then? We kick your sorry asses off our ship?"

"It's a shame it must come to this, but since you refuse to come quietly…" Renee's expression darkened. "We'll take you back by force." Skye grinned.

"I'd like to see you try." With the potential negotiations left behind in a pile of failure, there was work to be done. Joyce and Renee wasted no time in marking their entrance fashionably; Joyce fired at the pair below so that they could safely descend. Joyce hopped over the railing and landed on her feet, pouncing from her crouch to assail her closest victim, who happened to be Vanessa. The dark haired Red Rogue was not prepared for the close combat from whom she had judged to be a gunslinger like Skye, and Joyce was able to score a direct hit with her fist under Vanessa's chin. The expected recoil that Joyce waited to take advantage of (if she absolutely _had_ to make this a clean sweep, she was going to knock her out in two hits) never came as Vanessa instinctively slashed in her opponent's direction, nicking her in the arm as she stepped back out of range. Vanessa rubbed her chin, throbbing in pain. She wouldn't allow another cheap shot like that again, not on her watch.

A barrage of bullets could be heard from the blonde that vigilantly raced across the deck and up the staircase, dodging the magical projectiles and ice traps that threatened to trip her. Renee was exceptionally good at casting magic; so good that Skye couldn't even see when she was speaking the incantation. Skye was completely clueless from the floor below, but now on the same level she could at least see the magic circle that appeared any time she was about to cast. It was invaluable knowledge in a battle to know at what point in the incantation a mage was at – the problem with spell casting was that no matter how efficient you were, there would always be valuable seconds where you would be left vulnerable. Renee was no exception, and Skye was going to take advantage of that. But first…

"Increm!" Skye shouted, projecting forth energy to manipulate Vanessa's attributes. Vanessa was facing a dangerously offensive foe down there; a decent stats boost should be able to help her out. Vanessa used it to her advantage, deflecting another punch in her direction with her left arm while she threw her own available right fist. It hit its mark right in the gut, causing Joyce to let out a surprised gasp of pain.

"You fucking bitch, I'll kill you!" In battle, Joyce's mood affected how aggressive she was. Today she felt exceedingly pissed off at both this stupid mission and the bitches that refused to just take what was coming to them. She glowered at Vanessa's pretty face. She was going to make sure no one would find it beautiful after what she was going to do to her. She shot a round near point blank, Vanessa just barely managing to scramble out of the way. Joyce leapt forward and kicked Vanessa's knees from behind, forcing her to fall over. Vanessa rolled over in a quick attempt to recover, but Joyce jumped on top of her when her back was exposed, effectively pinning her to the ground. "You're so easy that this isn't even funny. Fight back! Your friend's probably much better at not sucking than you are." Joyce grabbed Vanessa's hair, pulling her head back. "Not worthy of an answer, am I? You're going to learn to regret messing with me!"

"Joyce!" Renee cried out in warning. The red-head looked up at her partner, who was still fending Skye off.

"What? I've got her." Joyce replied, irritable.

"Move, MOVE!" Renee didn't have a chance to say anything else as a bullet grazed her cheek. "Moons are you rough! At least have the decency to try not to blow my head off, please!"

"Seriously?" Skye spat. "You come on our ship, threaten to take us who knows where, and you expect me to use restraint? You have some nerve, woman." Skye aimed her gun at Renee's head. "I don't miss twice." Renee shuffled near the railing, Skye's steely eyes staring her down as the mage held her staff before her, ready. She'd have to time this right…

Skye shot a single bullet just as Renee had anticipated, but instead of sidestepping as Skye had thought, Renee opted instead to jump to the floor below. Shit! Skye rushed over to the edge just in time to see Vanessa finish casting pyres directly above her, Renee desperately trying to tell Joyce to get off of the pinned teen before it was too late. Joyce, not understanding, stubbornly stayed on top, twisting Vanessa's arm and ramming it up her back. She only let go when her back was bombarded with cannonball-sized fireballs, thrusting her forward. She hissed vulgarities as her clothes singed, daggers in her eyes as she watched Vanessa struggle to get up, cradling her arm. Renee approached from behind, staff raised. She'd knock out the unaware girl in one clean motion. Skye growled, feeling forgotten. How dare they ignore her and team up on her friend! Skye pulled the trigger, mystified when nothing came out. She tried a few more times – absolutely nothing. Crap, she had emptied her barrel already; she had to reload. But Vanessa was in trouble right now –

"Vanessa!" Skye cried out. She didn't know what else to do, but hoped from the urgency in her voice that the other pirate would turn around. She did, raising her hand defensively as the staff came crashing down. Renee's eyes widened.

"Hey! L-let go!" Renee struggled as Vanessa grasped the staff with her hands. It became a purely physical duel as neither could do anything but wrestle for possession of the weapon. Skye took this time to reload, firing at Joyce and effectively knocking the other girl's gun right out of her hands. It whipped across the deck and careened over the edge. Skye aimed for Renee's back, but hesitated as the two below spun around, trying to shove and trip the other up. She didn't want to accidentally shoot her own companion. That wouldn't be good.

"How about you…" Vanessa grunted, forcing strength through her strained arms, "get off our damn ship?" As she finished, she heaved and quite literally toppled the older woman over, who had refused to give up her staff. Even now on the floorboards she still clung to it, even though that made her arm twist awkwardly. "A pleasure to meet your acquaintance too, Renee, but I'm NOT interested in what you have to offer. I'd recommend you leave before Skye decides to kill you."

"Not even going to ask our purpose here? My, you two are a mystifying sort." Renee replied calmly. For having bruises and being in an unbecoming position on the floor, she still spoke with eloquence.

"That hardly matters. You failed, that's all that's important." Skye stated, hopping over the railing and landing before them. Renee's eyes wandered from Skye back to Vanessa, who towered over her. Unlike her blonde companion, Vanessa seemed just a bit intrigued by what she said. Renee could see the sensibility of which her boss spoke. He was right to take an interest in her. There was something… different about her, though Renee couldn't really put her finger on it.

"You already made it clear you meant to capture us… but you never explicitly said why." Vanessa pulled out a knife with a spare hand. "I think we've earned the right to know." Her blade shined as the sun struck it, catching Renee's attention. The teen was being very serious. Skye moved over to Joyce, who had slowly got up from her crumpled spot on the ground and now stood a bit hunched; her back clearly a cause of much agony. She had been pelted relentlessly; she could only hope that they had burn salve on their ship. Joyce's face expressed murderous intent as she stared at the armoured girl further away, but her expression didn't last very long as Skye pistol whipped her in the face.

"Stupid bitch. Serves you right for hurting my friend." Joyce fell to the ground again, hatred in her eyes as Skye smugly looked down at her. At least Renee had managed to hurt the snarky blonde – her outfit was blotched with red from wounds she had sustained in battle, and the white fabric of her right arm had been singed black from an accurately casted pyri. Nobody had been left unscathed.

"You are different… beware." Renee whispered out. Vanessa didn't do very much to mask the puzzlement that flooded her face at that comment. "You are a magnet in which only trouble can be attracted. This meeting… and those of our future encounters, they are fated."

"That doesn't answer my question." Vanessa shuffled through the confusing sentences coming out, her priority being focused on learning the answer to her one inquiry. "Who sent you?"

"Gunthor… he has laid a claim on you. Every Black Pirate will be jumping on this opportunity to curry favour with the captain. Your friend, she… she is only a bonus." Well, that explained why she felt they had been targeting her more. Vanessa paled at the mention of _his_ name. He just couldn't leave her alone, and now had a fleet of Black Pirates grasping at the chance of retrieving her! She felt sick. "You should feel honoured. He has been saving himself for the woman he wants, and he has finally found the embodiment of his desire." Though she spoke this, Renee didn't really seem comfortable uttering those words. She almost looked a bit relieved that they had failed, though their failure was likely going to earn them a reaming later. "You."

"T-take Joyce and bugger off." Vanessa stuttered, her voice giving away that she was unnerved by what was said. "I'm only giving you this chance." She dropped the staff next to Renee, who snatched it up immediately. The mage got up, slowly walking around Vanessa, whose eyes never ceased following her movements. Skye didn't look very pleased that they were just letting them go like that – but there was something in Vanessa's eyes that just made her accept the decision.

Renee helped Joyce up, who sneered at the Red Rogues as they passed, slowly making their way over to the board walk. They turned, Joyce leaning on Renee for support.

"This isn't over, Red Rogues…" Joyce called out, her voice strong despite the obvious hurt she felt. "And I can assure you, the results will be different next time!"

"Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourselves that. We'll be ready." Skye cracked her knuckles. That brawl was fun; she could do with more intense fights like that. As the black pirates withdrew their boarding plank and flew off, Skye made her way over to Vanessa. "Are you all right?"

"I-I'll be fine… she got me good, though. Almost dislocated my jaw and arm." She stopped short, scanning Skye for injuries. "Are you all right? You look worse off than me."

"Nah, that's just what happens when you wear white. I just got cut from some ice shards, that's all." She shrugged, as if her answer was obvious. "What did they want? Did the mage ever answer you?"

"So you tell them you're not interested and then directly ask me as soon as they've left?" Vanessa chuckled, sheathing her blade. "I sense an oxymoron in interest, dear." Skye waved it off.

"That aside, she must have said something… you look troubled." Skye pressed, her eyes searching.

"Gunthor… they're doing it for him." Oh, how her voice quivered when she spoke his name. Gunthor had really bruised her psyche, though Skye knew Vanessa would never wish to admit it. Everything suddenly made sense though – at least it explained why those Black Pirates had shown up and threatened to do so again. Hmm. Life had just taken an interesting turn.

"Well, we'll get back at 'em eventually. For now, let's get back inside. I have a squirt to boss around."

"Skye…" Vanessa frowned. "Please tell me our earlier conversation hasn't completely slipped your mind. Besides, that 'squirt' is the only person on this vessel with any healing spells."

"I was kidding, sheesh." Skye gave an exasperated sigh. It was true; she had only suggested it to distract Vanessa from the worries that she knew were spinning in that girl's mind. Her plan had worked, however briefly. "Come on, let's go. We can get to Sailor's Island by nightfall if we move now."

"Yeah, okay…" Vanessa started to walk towards the door, matching Skye's pace. "Oh, Skye?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for, um… hitting Joyce for me. That was pretty cool." Skye laughed.

"And I will do it again numerous times should we ever cross paths with them, no question about it. Nobody hits you and goes unpunished; I will make sure of that." Vanessa's eyes softened.

"Thank you."

* * *

"Ow!" Theora yelped, holding the back of her head securely. Skye let out a laugh (all clean and shiny, as she cleaned herself up before attacking Theora), satisfied to hear the girl's complaint. She knew that flashlight would be good for something or another. She had no idea why they bought such a pointless contraption; it wasn't going to be used anytime soon!

"Skye! That hurt!"

"Wasn't me." Skye whistled, ignoring the seemingly cracked flashlight rolling on the floor. It was a piece of crap if you asked her; she didn't chuck the flashlight that hard.

"Who else would it be, Skye! You bitch-"

"-Twerps are meant to be seen, and not heard." Skye smiled, although only to enhance her point. "Now get flyin'. I want to reach Sailor's Island before I'm 30."

Theora coiled in anger, the young pirate furious at her blonde companion. Was she subjected to being tortured like this every moment of her life? She and Vanessa just overcame two tough pirates after all; if anything, Skye should have been dancing around in excitement or gloating in victory. Instead, she had chucked a flashlight at her.

"Screw you Skye! You honestly think I can fly more efficiently with my now pounding head?" Which Skye inflicted, Theora muttered under her breath.

"Don't really care; just get us there, _Theora_." Skye stressed, stepping out of the brunette's line of vision. She laughed again, causing Theora to twitch in discomfort.

"You'll pay for this..."

Nothing was said after Theora's threat; the pirate disappeared from her surroundings. Theora was left on the bridge to think to herself; her head reminding her of Skye's brash impulses. There was no getting around that Skye was a total bitch to her. Theora sighed; Skye used to possess some class to her being. She supposed, like the good old days, those moments were lost.

"Theora? We should take off soon. We need to stock up on supplies before tonight." Vanessa spoke, catching Theora off guard. A hand graced Theora's shoulder, causing the brunette to smile.

"How long were you there?"

"Long enough. Let's just say Skye's on permanent dish duty for the next week."

"She owes us a new flashlight, too." Theora chimed in. Her head pounded vigorously; Theora holding her head in hopes to soothe the pain.

"That she does, friend." Vanessa giggled, happy to be distracted from the current injuries that she felt. She was good in hiding her ailments; this time was no different. "Are you alright to fly? I'm sorry if I sounded pushy beforehand."

"Yes, I'm fine." She smiled, twisting the wheel on the helm to their right. "Sailor's Island is our new destination; get ready for takeoff!"

Vanessa grinned, happy to see her friend in high spirits. She was also pleased to finally be on the way. Vanessa was the type who wanted to get things done right away. She didn't want to have the inconvenience of minimal supplies hindering her mind.

* * *

Sailor's Island was bustling with activity; the merchants scuttling about trying to sell their wares. It had been a rough week; the weather in this region was drenched with water a few days back. Luckily for the Red Rogues, they arrived on a clear day; a perfect day for shopping… as every place was packed, proving Theora's point clearly. Skye muttered to Theora a harsh silence, giving Vanessa a look. She knew that look quite well, knowing that Skye was going to take this opportunity to get something to wet her whistle. Theora crossed her arms, speaking over the nearby voices.

"I don't see why she told me to shut up when she was leaving us anyway!" Theora whined. Vanessa wasn't too sure about it either; not spending too much time trying to figure out the blonde pirate, as her mind wasn't an easy one to follow. She'd be nice one minute, and rotten the next. Oh well, that was her missie.

"I wouldn't give it too much thought, Theora. It's not worth it."

"…You mean _she's_ not worth it." A mumble from Theora that was quite audible.

"Theora!" Vanessa scolded, not saying another word. Seriously, these two were going to drive her nuts near the end of the day. She needed to get the required supplies: Sacri crystals, new bullets for Skye's gun, and some food were on top of the list.

* * *

"Bandits be hanging near South Ocean, ye hear?" A voice caught Theora's attention as Vanessa headed into the weapon shop. "Very fierce and very dangerous."

"Ye don't say?" A woman responded.

"Aye, heard it with me two ears. The path will be a dangerous one as well."

Theora gulped. They couldn't be serious. Ixa'taka was their next destination, and South Ocean was the most convenient way through. For the love of Arcadia…

"The bandits were escapees of Valua; wanting to steal a better ship to escape to the green lands I 'ear."

"Steal a ship? They should be punished for even thinking about such a thing."

Theora hadn't cared about the rest of the gibbering; the bandits were what she was concerned about. How could she fly through the South Ocean knowing that little tidbit of information? There had to be another way around this.

Theora waited outside patiently for Vanessa's return. She had to say _something_ to her. Theora couldn't allow the trio to get robbed by bandits; even worse, their own ship was targeted to be the bounty.

The voices seemingly disappeared soon after, or Theora was concentrated on her own fears and worries too much to notice them anymore. It could have been both. Vanessa stepped out of the shop, giving her friend a quizzical look.

She had the bags in hand, the bullets and the sacri crystals. She wouldn't purchase them at the weapons store if they hadn't ordered them in stock by accident. They were at a killer discount, that's for sure.  
Theora was still focused on the ground below her, which had been rather strange considering that the brunette hadn't acknowledged Vanessa's presence as of yet.

"We're going to get Skye and go, Theora. I'm feeling quite sore, and want some rest."

Nothing.

"Theora? Are you coming?"

Nothing.

"Alright, I'm going." Vanessa replied, leaving Theora to her thoughts. She knew the girl would come eventually. She wouldn't leave Sailor's Island without her.

* * *

It hadn't taken Vanessa very long to find Skye; the blonde draped over the counter. Vanessa nudged her with her arm to wake her up, as Vanessa figured the alcohol would tire out the blonde.

"What?" Skye let out a sigh, still drowsy.

"Let's go." Vanessa lent her arm as a support for the pirate who needed a little assistance walking. The new destination was the Thalia; Vanessa noticing from the corner of her eyes the little pigtailed girl that hurried to catch up to them.

It wouldn't take much.

END CHAPTER 11


	12. Happy Flying

Chapter 12: Happy Flying

The morning air was crisp and revitalizing as the three women crew of the Thalia continued their voyage in the cloudy skies, taking their time to plot the newest course and defeat any monsters that dared to hinder them. The pilot, the youngest but no less courageous of the three, stood at the helm with deliberate poise; her eyes scanning the skies ahead as she made minor readjustments to avoid the cyclones that occupied the South Ocean region. Flying carelessly here could prove a costly, if not fatal, mistake. Many strong sailors had lost their lives to these currents.

"How are we doing, Theora? Is the projected run feasible?" A much taller girl in her late teens asked, moving to stand beside her companion. Her eyes were full of warmth as they looked down at the brunette operator. Theora was thoughtfully silent for a moment, visualizing the journey before them by memory with each of its twists and turns. It could be done, sure. Under her attentive hand she would ensure that the wrestling currents did not trap their ship, and as long as the cannons were relatively accurate in hitting their marks against the monsters…

"I can do it, yes." Theora nodded, not turning away from the window panes. The older girl lingered a little longer though, sensing the hesitation in her friend's voice.

"Is there something wrong?" Theora felt the comfort of the girl's hand on her shoulder, as her friend knew better than to demand her attention away from the skies. The first time that had happened (courtesy of Skye, the third and oldest member of this ragtag trio), they had crashed into a rather large floating rock and repairs to the bow had drained the collection of gold they had in their wallets. The two still occasionally brought up the incident, blaming each other for what had happened.

"Well no, but… Vanessa, why don't we ever go over the lands of ice?"

"Because there's nothing there, idiot." A gruff voice interrupted sharply. "There's absolutely nothing to gain by flying over an uninhabitable mass of ice."

"I wasn't asking you, Skye!" Theora's tone flared angrily; her stance at the helm further suggesting that her easy temperament was dissipating at the entry of the impertinent gunslinger. Vanessa sighed, a natural habit that had surfaced as these two constantly bickered. Though it may not always be intentional, both Skye and Theora had a tendency of disagreeing on even the most simple of propositions – brainstorming for last night's dinner, for example. The explosive argument over ravioli and soup might seem amusing to the casual bystander, but to an individual that had to deal with it on a daily basis… it was a grating experience that she loathed to have repeated. It was no wonder that she now subconsciously wore a grimace during the time that the sun set.

"Only pointing out the obvious, you pipsqueak. Honestly, I thought you'd have a brain by now… guess that's just wishful thinking on my part." Skye rolled her eyes, smiling as they settled on her best friend. "Besides, I'm sure that Vanessa agrees with me, right?"

"Vanessa…" Theora's voice pleaded for support. Vanessa frowned in disapproval. In every argument, they always tried to lead her to their side so that they could claim victory. In a group of three, there were no ties. The curly-haired girl sighed again.

"Theora, just for the record… You want to go over the lands of ice for sightseeing and ease of piloting, right? Not for exploration?"

"That's right. At least someone here is intelligent enough to understand my question." Theora smirked as she heard the growl of her blonde verbal combatant. She knew that she had won this particular rout as soon as Vanessa had started speaking.

"Well, I don't see anything wrong with that." Vanessa concluded. She glanced over to the sulking pirate, her eyes lit with amusement as the other glowered. "Do you?"

"Don't blame me if something happens." Skye grumbled. She waved a dismissive hand as if to clear the minor confrontation from the atmosphere. She also happened to slip in the bird as her hand became stationary again; a small movement that Vanessa caught in the corner of her eye. She gave Skye the _look – _a trademark appearance that somehow had the ability to make Skye feel guilty and sheepish any time it surfaced. "Fine, fine. I'll head down to the cannons; I've heard that some giant creatures fly over the lands of ice. _Happy flying, Theora_." The last comment was emphasized in a trenchant manner before she hastily made her exit. If she had lurked a moment longer, she knew she would have earned a lecture.

"Skye's so mean to me." Theora whined as soon as Skye was out of ear shot. "It was just a simple question and she blew it _way _out of proportion as she usually does… It wasn't even directed at her! She rudely cut in, and-"

"Theora, please! You're giving me a headache." Vanessa massaged her temples. She wasn't joking, as she felt her head begin to pound in a dull and painful rhythm. "I already know that you and Skye don't get along too well… I don't need either of you reminding me about it every day, either."

"B-but…" The young girl stumbled, desperately seeking an opportunity to be right _and_ given Vanessa's approval at the same time. It was a futile effort. If anything, the talkback only dug a deeper hole in which Theora now stood in. She conceded her defeat with a slump. "Sorry Vanessa. It just… bothers me is all."

"Put yourself in my shoes sometime." Vanessa chuckled, walking to the center of the room to hover over the map. She cleared their previous course to plot the new one over the lands of ice – effectively skirting around a majority of the cyclones. The detour lengthened the journey to Ixa'taka, but it at least guaranteed them safe passage. "Anyway, Theora, you never did tell me what was wrong earlier." Theora slightly stiffened at this; a most puzzling reaction.

"Yes I did. I was just curious why we never flew over that continent." Theora answered. Vanessa, not satisfied with the response, decided to pry further.

"You're lying to me, Theora. You always tap the helm with your fingers when you are discomforted. What bothers you?" Damn, she was observant. There was no use hiding it any longer.

"Well, when we were on Sailor's Island, I heard some talk that there were some bandits hanging out in the South Ocean, ganging up on vessels traveling alone and…"

"So you were worried that we'd be attacked? Why didn't you just say so?"

"_Because she's a wimp, she is_!" Skye's voice rang playfully on the intercom. Theora's face filled with horror as she realized she hadn't turned the communications system off, leaving Skye entirely free to eavesdrop on the conversation in the bridge.

"I am not!" Theora stressed hotly, slamming a fist on a button nearby. The connection went dead. "Oh god, she's totally right but I didn't want her to know it… I was afraid we were going to get attacked."

"There's nothing wrong with being cautious. I'm sure we could have handled it, but I do appreciate your concern on the matter. Besides, I've always wondered just how cold it is over the lands of ice…" Vanessa admittedly cheekily, giving a soft giggle. Theora, relieved, straightened her posture to regain the readiness she had before. Vanessa always knew exactly what to say to calm her down. She sure made a great role model… Theora could only hope that she could someday achieve that sort of composure.

As her thoughts began to wander, Vanessa left the room to head down to the kitchen to prepare their food. Today's meal would consist of a simple dish; a classic lunch tradition of a sandwich and a drink. She'd call them both down shortly later to take a break together… whether the two other occupants of the ship wanted to or not.

* * *

"It's so…" Theora murmured softly at the sight before her. The ice was illuminated by the strong rays of the sun, creating a breathtaking and blinding image.

"Barren? Boring?" Skye quipped, grinning as Theora tried her best to ignore her. "Oh! Desolate, that's it!"

"I was going for beautiful, but it's great that you feel the need to finish my sentences for me." Theora wore an irritable expression. Skye laughed, playing around with her gun by twirling and throwing it in the air. Vanessa followed the length of the arctic shore on the horizon with her eyes in curiosity, having never actually seen the continent before beyond the charted regions on the map. It was portrayed as a gigantic mass of ice with small islands of debris that had broken off of the mainland floating around it. Most sailors chose to avoid this part of the world – there was nothing to gain by going there, after all. There was a rumour that part of the sky burst into a dazzling display of multiple colors over the lands of ice, but to Vanessa it sounded like complete gibberish. How was that even possible?

"I'm inclined to agree with both of you on this one..." She joined the conversation, stepping away from the map where she dutifully navigated their journey. "It feels quite… tranquil, but it seems to lack any interesting features to keep our interest." Vanessa had a sudden shiver run down her spine. "Besides, it's already getting cold… and we're not even over the mainland yet."

"Huh? I didn't really notice a difference, to be honest." Skye shot Vanessa a quizzical look. She hadn't known that her friend was sensitive to cold temperatures… oh well; they'd be out of there soon anyway. "I can turn up the heat for you if you'd like." A grateful nod was all Skye needed to go and do just that.

"Thanks." Vanessa smiled lightly at her friend before turning back to the windows, noticing that inclinations in the ice were starting to appear. "Oh… Those look shiny."

"See? We get to travel safely and have a great view of the glaciers!" Theora exclaimed, sticking her tongue out at Skye.

"Here, let me see about detaching that…" Skye leaned forward in an attempt to grab Theora's extended tongue. Theora recoiled immediately, fearful that the older pirate would follow up that threat. Theora moved too quickly; the Thalia jutted into a sudden nosedive towards the ice. "Watch where you're flying, stupid!"

"Get away from me, it's your fault!" Theora snapped back. Vanessa let out a loud groan before walking out of the bridge, leaving the two to fight. Her exit actually ceased the feud as they fell into silence. Skye watched her friend's departure with a slight frown. Vanessa usually told them outright to shut up, not flee from the room. Theora seemed to be pondering this as well.

"Theora, keep both hands on the helm, if you would." Skye took authority. "I'll go see what's up." The younger girl shot an annoyed glance over to the blonde.

"It's still your fault…" Theora whispered.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you over the silence." Skye knew exactly how to push her buttons, but Theora chose not to respond. Skye let out an amused chuckle before following after her friend. She reached the hull shortly later, having descended from the ladder that connected the levels of the ship together. She figured that Vanessa would have gone to her room, seeing that it was often her safe haven when she wanted to be alone. Skye was surprised when she didn't find her there, but rather further down along the hall, appearing to inspect their firepower.

"Hey… Is everything all right?" Skye announced her arrival, stopping her motion near the wall to watch her companion earnestly check their supply. "You left in quite a hurry."

"Yes, I'm fine… and no, it wasn't because of you and Theora, so rest easy." Vanessa replied, opening a console to examine its mechanics.

"Can't say I can, the way you're moving about. Do you need help with something?" Skye walked over and grabbed the free wrench on the floor.

"Ow!" Vanessa hissed, withdrawing her hand from the console and shaking it furiously in the air. She blew on her fingers; anything to ease the startling pain.

"What happened?" Skye was at her side immediately. She reached for Vanessa's hand and brought it closer to examine it. Her fingers had been singed slightly from whatever they had come in contact with. If Vanessa hadn't pulled her hand out when she did…

"Something in the console… When the Thalia heaved earlier, I realized that Theora hadn't pulled the wheel hard enough for that extravagant a reaction… It should have only swayed left or right, not straight down." Vanessa peered into the dark machine, biting her lip. "I really do wish that you hadn't thrown our last flashlight at Theora yesterday; I could have used it now."

"Sorry…" Skye pat her legs a few times; an act to hide her embarrassment. "Do you know why we're having this problem now, though? We both checked the infrastructure of the ship while we were docked in Sailor's Island, not to mention we regularly perform maintenance to all of our equipment."

"I don't…" Vanessa trailed off. She squinted to see in the dark console again. "W-What?" She bent a little closer, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Skye, the wires… they're all cut! Some of the propulsion systems have been damaged by an explosion of some kind, and…"

"Someone tampered with the Thalia?" Skye was worried about what that could imply. If they had damaged the console that controlled their artillery, then…

Vanessa seemed to be thinking the same thing, quickly scanning about the room with dread.

"I've got to let Theora know." She pushed herself off the ground, ignoring the hurt that emanated from her left hand. "If someone set explosives here, I wouldn't put it past them to have wired something up concerning the steering as well… and I have a horrible feeling that the information Theora overheard on Sailor's Island was planted."

"Ugh. See how much trouble that runt gets us into? Seriously, if she wasn't around-"

"Then we'd be in the same situation, but _not_ over any land. At least here we can attempt an emergency landing, or if the worst happens, we won't fall into Deep Sky." Vanessa cut Skye off, her tone serious. "Let's save the Theora bashing for after we get out of this, please."

"Gee, what's got into you? You know I was kidding…" Skye muttered, though she stopped as Vanessa pulled her into a strong hug.

"I'm sorry, I'm just a little… stressed. I'll be right back." She started down the hall, pausing halfway to turn and give Skye a wave before continuing her task at hand. Vanessa swiftly climbed the ladder, feeling paranoid that any part of her surroundings could potentially explode at any moment. Thankfully she reached the bridge without any difficulty, where she found Theora whistling a tune that sounded vaguely familiar. Vanessa couldn't have put her finger on it, but that didn't matter right now. She quickly filled Theora in, to which the younger girl could only react with a squeak and a deepening look of concern and worry. Theora went to work immediately; pulling switches, swinging the helm in a great arch, and repositioning levers. The Thalia lurched.

"S-Something's wrong… It's not operating at it should be!" Theora panicked, flailing her arms uselessly around the helm. Vanessa made an attempt to calm her young friend down, but she stopped as a loud and shrill grinding sound could be heard. Vanessa didn't know where it was coming from, until-

"Look out!" Vanessa snatched Theora's arm and roughly pulled her away from the helm, heading for cover. Her timing couldn't have been better, as Theora's attempt to descend had triggered a bomb to go off just below where the pilot would normally be standing. Theora's eyes were wide as the floor burst apart where she was only a moment before, with the wheel splintering up the curves before momentum from the rupture below forced it off the console and into the air. It landed with a crash on the table in the center of the room, tearing the map in several places as the wheel dragged it across the table before falling to the floor. Theora held Vanessa's arm in a death grip, paralyzed by fear.

"V-Vanessa…" It was no more than a soft whisper. Vanessa could not provide the support that Theora needed, not yet. The Thalia began to shudder as other small explosions were being set off along the structure of the ship. It was when they were both flung to the ground by the sudden quakes that Vanessa saw something that she hadn't expected. It was so beautiful… a stark contrast to the horrendous situation they now found themselves in.

"The lights…. They're real!" She couldn't believe it. There they were in all their vibrant glory, cutting through the normally blue sky with various shades of reds, yellows, purples, and green. That _gibberish_ of a rumour was true. If they could somehow get out of this and survive… it would give them some gold to line their pockets.

Seeing the _other_ object outside of those windows though… It made her feel like their deaths were imminent. Another ship was firing at them – a ship she did not recognize, though she knew without a doubt that it was they that had conspired this plot against them. Whoever was on that ship, Theora had overheard at Sailor's Island. If they got out of this, she would have to ask her what they looked like.

Another explosion sent them flying backwards to hit the wall near the exit to the bridge. Theora gave a loud grunt – an indication that her back hadn't taken it so lightly. Vanessa did not make any sound; instead she quickly pushed herself off and raced towards the ladder, her thoughts telling her to do one thing – make sure that Skye was all right.

Vanessa slid down the ladder, nearly losing her grip as the Thalia lurched again and forced her against the ladder. She took a deep breath and quickly scaled the rest of the distance, ignoring that her arms and legs were starting to feel very cold – was their heating system also a trigger? Given the timing where everything started to go wrong, it very well could have been the first.

"Skye?" Vanessa called, turning to face the long hallway. The lights had gone out and she could barely see in the haze of smoke that had collected on this floor. Small beams of light filtered through cracks that had begun to appear from the strain that the ship wasn't handling too well. Multiple explosions and a ship firing cannons could only spell doom for the Thalia.

"I'm here." Skye replied, from the other end of the hall. She sounded tired and she was panting rather heavily. "Can't see a bloody thing though; my glasses got knocked off somewhere…"

"Hang on; I'll get over to you by sidling this wall. Try to find it; I'll help you out when I get there."

"All right." Skye felt her way along the floor, bumping her head into the said wall she was supposed to find. "Fucking thing – er, I mean I found it, I'll start making my way towards you as well." Neither said much more as they were trying not to breathe the smoke in that slowly seeped out of the cracks of the ship. It became a bit less hazy and Vanessa could see the outline of her friend fumbling in the distance.

"I see you!" In the midst of the horror, Vanessa felt relief that they would at least be going through this together.

"_Vanessa! Skye!_" Theora screeched the loudest they had ever heard her. It was saying a lot, as the intercom was broken upstairs and that meant she could only be yelling from the top of the ladder. "Get out of there, NOW!"

"What is the brat yelling about, that doesn't solve anythin-" Skye never got to finish her sentence, nor did Vanessa get the chance to respond. One of the engines of the Thalia had just taken a fatal blow from cannon fire… and had exploded right next to them. The entire hall was engulfed in flame; the sheer force of the explosion sending both pirates flying in opposite directions. The last thing that Skye saw was the blurry outline of her friend being forced up into the air as she was slammed down, sliding down on the floor as its angle became more vertical. That fact faintly registered in her mind as she heard her friend screaming her name and then –

Silence. She fainted.

"SKYE! SKYE!" Vanessa screamed; her voice cracking as raw emotion seized her. Tears streaked down her face as the sight of the gaping hole that used to be the other half of the ship came into view. Where there was her friend, there was now only the sight of the darkening sky and the aurora lights blazing. A small spec in the distance (the enemy ship) was retreating. They had done what they had come here to do. "You bastards! I swear I'll kill you for what you've done!"

Vanessa's fury was replaced by fear as the harsh winds tore at her, trying to drag her towards the large hole in the now shortened hallway. Her ears still rang from the engine's explosion next to them, and the haunting sound of the Thalia tearing in two. She could not hear Theora desperately calling down to her, begging her to move, but the young girl entered her mind and Vanessa remembered that she was not alone. As she slipped, she grabbed some of the pipelines that had been ripped asunder from the walls to stop her fall. If she hadn't, she would have careened straight out into the open sky, her life to end on the lands of ice just as Skye before her…

Vanessa reached the ladder by using the pipes as a railing; anything to hang onto so that the winds did not pull her away. She pulled herself up with a renewed sense of urgency, knowing quite well that they were only flying with half a ship and _one_ engine right now. The strain it must be facing to hold them upright… They needed to get out of there, and fast.

Theora's face filled with relief when Vanessa reached the top of the ladder, though her eyes still spoke of the terror she currently felt beneath. She was saying something but Vanessa could not hear her; she saw the lips move but nothing came out. Was she so close to the detonated engine that she had gone deaf from the sheer magnitude of the sound? It was fully possible.

"I can't hear you!" Vanessa said awkwardly, loudly. "My ears… they're still ringing too much." Theora made an "Oh" movement with her lips before her eyes trailed back to the ladder, asking the question that Vanessa could not yet hear; did not want to hear. She didn't wish to acknowledge what had happened. It was too soon to dwell on it. "We have to get out of here. Only one engine is holding us up right now, and," Vanessa paused, looking out of the window panes of the bridge from the entrance, "It appears to be leading us on a direct collision course toward that glacier." Theora gasped, having not noticed it before. Her body trembled as fear seized her. Vanessa reached out and hugged the young girl before she made the effort to enter the bridge again, her grip on the floorboards slightly slipping as the Thalia began to tilt downward. Vanessa knew it was a race against time and so she furiously tackled every compartment in the walls and floor as fast as she could, looking for one specific item that she had found stored away months ago. She had seen it in this room once before, now where was it when she needed it the most?

Her ears began to regain their senses as she searched; the sounds of objects crashing onto the floor and the wind violently causing havoc being the main focus. Vanessa tuned them out. She had to concentrate; had to remember where that damn thing was or both she and Theora were going to die –

"Eureka!" The last wall compartment that had been partially obstructed by debris was flung open by the pirate, quickly removing its contents to rediscover the one sole parachute she had recalled seeing all that time ago. She was thankful for the memory and for whoever had stored it there, for otherwise she would likely just be easing Theora's woes as they prepared for the afterlife. She grabbed some rope that was coiled on the floor nearby and ran back over to the cowering preteen. Vanessa strapped the parachute onto her back, making sure that everything was in order and praying to the heavens that there was nothing at fault with it.

"There's only one parachute…?" It was a soft whisper. Theora's eyes were brimmed with tears, the pressure of the situation too much for her. "A-All right then… You are more important than I; you need to survive this so it's okay…"

"Theora, what are you mumbling about? Get over here." Vanessa grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her close, still holding the rope with the other. "You're going to have to help me with this; I can't do it by myself." Theora realized what Vanessa meant and hope and compassion flooded her senses. Of course Vanessa wouldn't leave her here to die; she was of a much more loyal and loving nature than that. Theora assisted the older teen in wrapping the rope around them, ensuring that it was tight enough that she felt she could barely breathe. It would be uncomfortable for them both, but if it could keep them together, then it had to be done. Theora could feel Vanessa's heart pumping in a steady rhythm as she was pressed against her stomach.

"You're going to need to hang onto me… very tightly, okay Theora?" The young girl did not reply, instead wrapping her arms around Vanessa as much as she could and clutching the fabric of Vanessa's outfit in a death grip.

"I-I'm scared…" Theora mumbled. The floor began to quiver beneath them; the ship groaning in agony as it surged towards its unavoidable fate. Vanessa wobbled over to the side door with difficulty, not used to having the additional weight that was Theora to walk around with.

"Just close your eyes… It will be all right; I'm here for you." Vanessa soothed, sounding much more confident than she felt. She took the position as Theora's guardian, making sure to comfort the girl in their desperate time of need. Vanessa knew that she would be panicking a lot more if her pig-tailed friend was not there. Theora obediently obeyed, burying her face into Vanessa's bosom. Under normal circumstances Vanessa would have quickly pushed her off, as that was an incredibly awkward place to seek comfort from, but as they were tied together and likely about to plunge to their deaths Vanessa said nothing. If Theora felt just a little more secure that way, Vanessa wasn't going to take that from her.

She stepped out onto the remainder of the deck, stealing a glance at what formerly used to be the front end of their ship. It was completely gone, with most of the floorboards stained a dark black from the small fires that had emerged from the explosions. Vanessa's thoughts wandered back to Skye as they were walking toward each other in the hallway –

No, she couldn't think of that, not now. Her eyes stung with tears from both the winds that tore at them and from the heart break she felt deep inside. Vanessa took a deep breath, walking over to the railing nearest the stern. Her hands clasped around it, her muscles shuddering in anticipation for what she was about to use them for. Vanessa's arms and legs were already starting to feel heavy from the harsh chill of the air; if she didn't jump soon, she wouldn't have the strength to pull them over.

Theora felt Vanessa's hesitance and whimpered, knowing full well what her friend was contemplating on doing. With only her arms, legs, and the rope that bound them together as her support, Theora's nerves were suffocating. The many what ifs of the scenario to come played out in her head - what if the parachute didn't open, what if they hadn't tied the rope tightly enough…

"Shhh…" Vanessa rubbed her hand on Theora's hair as a mother would a child. She could feel the younger girl's heart race far beyond what she knew was healthy; if Theora lingered on it much longer she might suffer from a heart attack. Vanessa began to softly hum the tune that she had heard Theora whistling to earlier. It was so nostalgic, calming to both of them. Theora let out a shuddered breath as Vanessa continued the tune, reaching for the railing with both hands again. The Thalia violently shook as another rupture engulfed the bridge. They had no more time. Willing her muscles not to fail her, she gave a great heave and launched them both into the clear sky.

Theora screamed as she felt the moment of weightlessness before the steep, hard fall. They were falling perilously fast, and though she kept her eyes closed she knew that the ground would be fast approaching.

"Vanessa, open the parachute! Do it now!" Theora cried, feeling sick as the two of them spun wildly out of control.

"Hang in there, Theora!" Vanessa yelled, hoping her voice would carry to the girl strapped against her. It was mostly drowned out by the howling winds enveloping them, but Theora caught it. "We have to wait just a moment longer, or else the parachute will pull us straight back up near the Thalia…" Theora understood the logic behind it, but understanding did not ease the fright that currently paralyzed her. Though the next three seconds of silence passed normally, to the two girls whose lives were on the precipice of disaster… it felt like an eternity.

With her waning strength, Vanessa tore at the ripcord, pulling it as hard as she could. The moment of truth was at hand, and – Yes! The parachute launched itself out of the packed bag, extending to its full length in nary a second. Its release instantly forced their spinning to a stop, as well as their descent entirely; it pulled them straight up just as she expected it to. She felt the sharp pain on her shoulders from the jarring change of momentum while her breath escaped her. So abysmally cold… besides the aching pains of her shoulders and Theora's desperate grip to hang on, Vanessa couldn't feel anything. She had gone entirely numb.

"S-See?" Vanessa's teeth chattered. She sorely wished that she could have had the time to grab a jacket, anything for her exposed arms, but her room had been torn in half. It would have been impossible to reach and an incredibly reckless venture regardless. "T-Told you that everything would b-be all right…" They slowly began to fall, the urgency of their movements dissipating as it was now up to fate for the parachute to carry them both to safety. Vanessa could not stop shivering; goose bumps riddling up her arms and legs.

"A-Are you all right?" Theora asked, her own voice shaking from the cold. She could feel Vanessa's breathing slow down. Panicked, she let go with one arm and placed it on Vanessa's cheek. It was cold, so cold… "Vanessa, stay with me, please…" Her breath was visible as she worked up the energy to speak to her friend. She had to keep Vanessa awake somehow, because if she didn't… Theora worried that she might never wake up. She did not want to be tied to a lifeless body; certainly not of her one true friend. Her eyes were nearly frozen shut because of her tears earlier.

"I'm with you… always…" Vanessa murmured. The darkness in her eyes was beckoning to her, telling her to let go… No, she had to stay with it, had to be there for Theora…

Not far away from them, the Thalia finally reached its final destination – straight into the glacier that Theora had earlier called beautiful. Its impact had an immediate chain reaction; the final engine gave out in an elaborate display of fireworks, triggering formerly 'dud' plants to reignite and go off with a deafening roar. Vanessa and Theora could not see the calamity that had occurred behind them. They did not need to see it to feel it. They were still too close; the rippling effects of the Thalia crashing caused extreme heat to lash out and buffet at them, raising their elevation level much higher. The straps that held Vanessa to the parachute nearly snapped from the exertion, digging into her sore skin a second time. The pain would have been unbearable… but the fallen Red Rogue had already blacked out. Her smaller companion was in the same shape, hanging limply on Vanessa's body by the ropes that bound them together.

Neither of them would see the hole that was starting to lengthen on the parachute as the seam slowly became undone. It would not matter. Their fate now rested in the power of the wind… and whether the wild element would grant them mercy.


	13. Aurora Lights

Chapter 12.5 – Aurora Lights

The young woman could not believe what she was seeing. She had come out on temporary leave so that she could study and observe the seemingly random patterns of the aurora lights; track its appearances across the cold and unforgiving terrain and collect her observations in a small notebook that now lay forgotten at the bottom of her satchel. It had started just as all of her minor adventures had before; riding out on a magic powered hovercraft that had been built for her to cross the ice in a short amount of time. She had found the perfect location to operate as an observation viewpoint; she had then hugged her robe tightly around herself as she sat down on the empty section of the hovercraft to watch as the colors began to dash across the sky and swirl in a mesmerizing pattern.

It was always a sight that left her breathless. The lights were a majestic wonder of the world; leading her thoughts to wander on what other beauty took residence on distant continents. Her imagination painted a vivid picture based on what she had read from the library, but most of those books were far too outdated to be reliable. She pushed up the spectacles she wore out of habit, though they weren't in the need for any readjusting. She scolded herself for allowing curiosities from her childhood to resurface now, when she had finally found time to study one of her continent's own natural beauties. She had to discipline her mind… the council had always grilled into her memory that a wandering mind was an unproductive one.

Today was going to prove to be one of the most exhausting days of Karen's life. As she settled down and looked up at the sky, she came to that realization too.

"What on…" She spoke to herself, eyes wide in disbelief. It was rare enough to sight an airship in the skies over the lands of ice; it was quite another matter to see one of those ship battles she had read about playing out before her. As she squinted to see what was going on, she fumbled for the pair of binoculars she carried in her bag. Her search stopped at the sound of a thunderous bang. Karen gasped when she saw half of one ship completely fall apart, its remnants plunging towards the ice below. She stood upright, her duty to follow protocol and inform her liege running through her mind as she placed her hands on the console and started up the machine. It gave a soft hum but did not move, waiting for her instructions.

Despite her obligation to notify them if there was anything awry happening out here, Karen did not set her coordinates towards the secret entrance that led back to the palace. No, she set it straight for the scene of the crash… her conscience told her that she needed to at least investigate that there was no one on board before she headed off to Glacia. The many rules and strict orders she was given to follow lingered on her mind as she flew in the direction of the fallen ship, her eyes watching as the end half of the ship took an abrupt nosedive and slammed into one of the continent's many glaciers. If Karen had still been at her vantage point, viewing the crisis with her binoculars, she would have seen the parachute with its two desperate users being flung around like ragdolls from the rupture of their ship. Karen's eyes were trained on the smoke that was raising from a source only a few hills away, however, and she would not see what would become of the two Red Rogues in the sky.

Dread filled her gut as she stopped near the small crater that had formed in the ice; the remains of this side of the ship scattered for many miles across the terrain's surface. The bow had struck head first into the ice and had splintered all the way up the rest of the structure – but it had held. Most of the detached planks that Karen could find were from the site closest in proximity to where the Thalia ripped in two. She hesitantly got off of her hovercraft and took a few steps forward, examining the remainder of the ship with a critical eye. It would be dangerous entering there… it could cave in at any moment.

Karen fought the urges to just turn away; the guidance in her mind violently scolding her that what she might do next would reveal a secret that she had sworn to protect since the day she was born. Her moral instincts won out overall.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" She called out, her voice strong and seemingly loud in the quiet of the area. There was no reply. She scanned the gaping entrance for any signs of movement but she saw none; she could only see the electrical sparks of a few ruined light fixtures dangling loosely here and there. She appeared to be looking down a hallway, and at the very end was a door that was barely hanging on its hinges. It was too dark to see what was in the room from where she stood, so she did what she would usually consider the unreasonable thing to do – she entered the ruined ship to investigate. Karen manoeuvred around some shattered objects and ducked under exposed pipes until she got to the door. She only needed to give it a gentle shove before it collapsed.

With her view entirely clear and the light filtering in from behind her, Karen spared a quick glance around the room, noting that it was likely someone's bedroom of some sort. The green walls, broken dresser, and a mattress that was likely not meant to be propped up vertically were evidence of that. She coughed and waved a hand in front of her face to clear the dusty air. As she looked down to watch where she stepped, Karen froze up in sudden indecision.

There, on the dusty tarnished floor, lay an unconscious blonde girl. She was faced down and pinned by a few fallen planks that were formerly the ceiling. The girl's attire had been slashed and torn in several places from the ship's descent and eventual crash. Some black and white fabric (and what appeared to be the remains of a bandana) were strewn around and stuck in spots, leading Karen to believe that this foreigner had been flung about quite ruthlessly. The girl's body was tattered and heavily bruised, still trickling blood in various places. Karen wasted no time in kneeling down and taking in a quick analysis for injuries. She placed two trembling fingertips on the girl's neck, trying to find a pulse.

There was one. It was faint, but it was there. Karen, being adept in the medical field, went straight to work. She casted a few sacres to provide the girl energy that had been lost after her ordeal, soothing the pains of torn ligaments and sealing up some of the worst wounds. Knowing that she had to conserve her strength for the rest of the trip, Karen bandaged the lesser cuts with a roll she carried in her satchel. Feeling how cold the girl's skin was, Karen slowly took off her warm robe and wrapped it around her new patient. It would suffice for now. Now came the difficult part; moving the peculiar blonde out of this deathtrap. Hearing the whines of the walls, she knew she wouldn't have much time. First, she would attempt to carry the foreigner. If she wasn't strong enough, Karen would simply have to try dragging her along instead.

Though the girl was not as heavy as Karen had expected, she knew that her arms were not strong enough to carry her this way the entire duration to her hovercraft. That was fine, she would soon learn, as she weaved cautiously around the obstacles blocking their exit. She set the girl down at the very edge of the wreckage and ran back to her hovercraft, starting it so that she could position it as close as possible to her patient. Karen began to pant as she lifted the girl up and over the edge, setting her down carefully on its base. She wrapped another blanket around the foreigner, wanting to make sure that she would not develop a case of hypothermia. Karen herself felt slightly chilled in her short sleeved outfit, but she knew she wouldn't be out here long enough for it to matter.

Now came what Karen felt would be the most difficult part of all; sneaking back into the palace with their newest guest. Karen had absolutely no doubt that she would get quite a verbal lecture from each of the council members, assassinating her character for making such a bold choice without the approval of the council board or the head of royalty, the current Prince of Glacia. She had sworn vows to upkeep the laws that had been placed on every citizen of her country; but now Karen realized that she didn't care as much about them as she thought she did. If obeying the law meant the death of an innocent individual… Karen wouldn't have that on her conscience.

She placed her hands on the console again, feeding it with some magic to get it moving. As they headed in the direction of the secret entrance, Karen prayed that she had made the right choice. There would be repercussions if she hadn't… and she didn't want to think about it.


	14. Separation Anxiety

Chapter 13: Separation Anxiety

"Unnngh…" A soft groan escaped her lips. She felt so tired, so heavy; perhaps she'd just lay here for some time longer…

"She's waking up!" An utterly unrecognizable and squeaky voice clamoured beside her. She felt something damp being rubbed across her forehead – what were they doing? – and she opened her eyes.

Vanessa jumped at the close proximity of a face hovering only inches from her own. It was youthful and sparked with amusement as she pushed herself away, finding the movement hard with her stiff arms. Vanessa threw up a hand in her face as the girl reached to pat her again with a cloth.

"Gee, I'm only trying to help you." The girl frowned, her arm dropping back down to her side. She was sitting with her knees tucked neatly underneath her, her body slightly bent forward to lean curiously in Vanessa's direction. "You're the first girl in months… I was hoping you'd be friendly."

"Now now, Eva, don't be so quick to judge her." A much taller woman appeared in view, smiling down at both of them. "Poor lass don't have a clue where she is, and if how she arrived here is any indication, I'm not surprised if she's a little jumpy."

"Yes mother…" Eva muttered, rolling her eyes. The girl clearly did not like being told off, however gentle the execution was. Her blue eyes shot back over to Vanessa, who had moved into a sitting position. The older girl was examining her new outfit with a rather distasteful expression. Not that Eva could blame her; she also wore a similar look concerning the clothes when she was first forced to wear them. A simple bland gray tank top and a pair of gray sweatpants was the basic attire for a female here; the most hideously offensive part of this unfashionable get up were the tacky and clunky bracelets attached to everyone's wrists. The newcomer was touching these very lightly now, noticing that they didn't budge from her prodding.

"Where…?" Vanessa's throat felt like sand paper. It was uncomfortably parched and scratchy. The older woman directed Eva to get some water and the younger complied, albeit with a bit of hesitation. She knew that she would miss out on parts of the conversation, and after she had just spent the last few days toiling over her too…!

"Do you remember what happened to you?" Eva's mother asked calmly, sitting down on the floor to be at Vanessa's side. The fallen pirate considered the question, realizing that her memories were foggy. She had been too concerned with this unidentified location to think about the last thing that she could remember, which was the sight of her friend Skye being engulfed in flame as an explosion set off right near them –

Tears sprang forth as it came back to her. The Thalia had torn in half; Skye had plummeted to her death in the front end of the ship while she and Theora desperately tried to escape the bridge…

"So you do…" She spoke softly, sympathetic to the grief etched across the teen's face. "It is a miracle that you managed to survive. Eva and I had to nurse you back to health over the last few days; the young one that arrived with you has been pestering about your condition ever since then –"

"Where is she…? Where is Theora?" Vanessa's eyes spoke volumes of relief that she knew that Theora was nearby… wherever this was. The older woman did not seem too comfortable with answering the question, though.

"I do not have the time to explain much right now… just know that she's safe for the moment. You are on Daikokuya the Wealthy's ship. When he comes for you… answer honestly. If you do not…" Eva's mother straightened herself, looking notably shaken. "Please. It is in your best interest… and ours." The woman, who seemed to develop urgency for time, headed towards the door.

"Wait!" Vanessa called out, finding the strength to push her words out. "Who… Who are you?"

"Irene. Evangeline is my daughter."

"I'm Vanessa." She introduced herself quickly before Irene could leave. She was thankful that there was at least someone on board that was kind. Irene gave a nod, her simple form of acknowledgment, before she left the room. Vanessa had caught a small light flashing on Irene's bracelets… what did it mean? She would soon find out.

"So the mystery guest has finally awakened, I hear." It did not even seem like a minute had gone by before a new occupant blocked the light that filtered through the open doorway. He was short, one of the shortest older men that Vanessa had ever seen. If he were not adorned with tacky jewellery and accompanied by floating robots, Vanessa's first impression of him would have been of a misunderstood but kind old man. This would have been wrong on all accounts.

He stopped walking when he reached the base of her boots. If nothing else, Vanessa was grateful for the familiarity of her boots… and her necklace in this odd place. His squinty eyes scanned her up and down, lingering a moment too long on a particularly tight section of the tank top she wore. His eyes finally settled on hers, looking delighted. "Now for what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?"

Vanessa was reluctant to open her mouth to say anything. After all, it was instinctive to be as conservative about herself as possible. Irene's hastily made departure and pleading eyes, however… told her to answer him.

"My ship exploded." It was a simple response, but it rang true.

"So it did, so it did… quite a nice ship, as it were. Way too fancy for two girls playing pirate though, wouldn't you say? Where did you get it?" Vanessa did not like his interrogative methods; he was almost daring her to lie to him. But why be so provocative?

"Sailor's Island. We stole it." still a short reply. Vanessa coughed; her voice raspy from her dry throat.

"Would you like a glass of water, my dear? First one is on me." He tapped a few buttons on a piece of machinery he had strapped on his right forearm; it gave a quiet ding to confirm that it understood his input. He stared expectantly at the door that he had just come through. What was he doing? Surely no one could arrive that fast –

"I'm here!" A high-pitched voice panted as the young girl hovered at the entrance with a glass of water. "Permission to come in, sir?"

"Right away, Evangeline! I will not have my reputation as an honourable host be tarnished, thank you!" He ushered the girl in, who swiftly handed Vanessa the glass she had been carrying. Vanessa accepted it gratefully, murmuring a small thanks as the short man waved the girl out and closed the door. She took a sip, her throat relinquishing the comforts of the liquid that slid down it. She felt better immediately. "Speaking of horrible manners, I have forgotten to introduce myself! My name is Daikokuya. My friends call me Daiko. And you are?" He held out his hand for her to shake it. His hospitality was confusing when she had just been warned not too long before about him.

"Vanessa…" She managed to say, discomforted by being alone with one who was clearly a perverted man. The way his eyes lit up as she spoke, too…

"Vanessa? I've heard of that name before…" He tapped his chin, as if he were thinking hard about it. He snapped his fingers. "Oh, I know! Your name was on the wanted list, just under mine. Always a pleasure to meet another whose sole purpose is to cause mischief in the world. You are part of the Red Rogues, right? Where is your blonde friend?" Vanessa flinched at the question. How many times would she be reminded of Skye's death while she was here? Her heart felt heavy just pondering about it.

Vanessa jumped in place as she received violent shocks up her arms. The glass of water she had held so delicately was dropped and shattered upon impact to the floor. Where the hell had that come from? A small light was flashing red on the bracelets, and as she looked up at Daikokuya, he was giving her a knowing smile, one finger resting on the forearm technology.

"An answer, if you would?" Daikokuya was testing the limits of her composure. Normally she would handle herself relatively well, but given that she was in a state of emotional vulnerability for having just lost one of her best friends…

"Bite me." She snapped, quickly moving to kick him in the knees. He already knew what she was going to do, of course, and took an easy step back before pressing down on the button once more. Vanessa let out a surprised gasp of pain as it bolted up her arms like fire, eagerly racing down her body until she could feel the pain all the way down to her boots. He smirked as he watched her folding her arms against herself, biting her lip to keep from crying out again. Daikokuya always took pleasure in whipping the spirited ones. It would not be long before she too obediently came at his command.

"Now, Red Rogue; let this be made very clear right away." His eyes narrowed as she shakily pushed herself back up, hatred evident in her eyes. "As soon as you set foot on this ship, or landed rather haphazardly the way you did on my deck, but I digress, you became my property. You are to heed to my instructions as soon as I give them, or there will be consequences, do you understand?"

"Like what, exactly?" Vanessa, despite her body weakened by the voltage, challenged. Daikokuya scowled, though secretly inside he was enjoying this. My, it had been quite some time since one with so much potential had taken residence on his ship…

"Normally, I'd do what any regular guy would do if his ship was getting dirty; _I'd take out the trash_." He emphasized this point as he glared down at her, her hazel eyes refusing to admit defeat as they stared back at him. "Sometimes I humour myself with target practice; other times I like to clean the skies of Arcadia with the humanitarian method of chucking useless baggage into deep sky. All depends about what I am in the mood for, really." He shrugged nonchalantly, as if his decisions were everyday outcomes and not a cruel joke. His face lit up when a thought came to him. "You, however, you… will have the opportunity to make one mistake, and it will not cost you at all. Why, might you be asking? Patience is key, my lady, for the grand revelation!"

Daikokuya gave himself a short round of applause, enjoying the dramatics. Vanessa had never met a stranger man. She already knew what he was going to suggest, and the mere thought filled her with dread. Of course he would resort to blackmail. Any man like him would be stupid not to, considering who had landed – quite literally – on his doorstep.

"That annoying young gal that we found with you… Theora, her name is? She means a lot to you, doesn't she? Must be, considering the amount of effort you made to rescue her." He crossed his arms as he paced a few steps back and forth in front of her. "Would be a real shame if such valiant efforts and such a spirited youth were to meet her untimely end, wouldn't you say?"

"Leave her alone." Vanessa warned, clenching her hands into fists. "Your beef is with me. She has nothing to do with this."

"Alas, but that is where you are wrong, dear Red Rogue. She has _everything_ to do with it. After all, what else would guarantee me your cooperation? I know your type. If you were alone, you would be incredibly resistant to everything and likely die before bending to anyone's whim. A commendable trait in you, but I'm afraid it won't get you far here. Not if you value precious little Theora's life, that is."

"What do you want?" Vanessa growled. One of the floating robots in the room swirled over her head, staring down at her with its one large lens. Daikokuya patted down his sides, as if he were dusting himself off, before responding.

"It's down to business, finally!" His voice was chipper as he stopped pacing. "Glad you can see things my way, Vanessa. I believe this is to be the start of a wonderful relationship."

"Whatever…" Vanessa muttered; gritting her teeth as she knew that life was about to get very difficult… and very frustrating. With no chances of a rescue (the only two that cared about her were either dead or being used as a piece of bargaining meat over her head); her hopes were all but dashed.

"Right then…" Daikokuya rubbed his hands together excitedly. "I've heard plenty about the Red Rogues… several successful exploits involving thievery and killing, in fact! I have a need for such abilities… do you get me?"

"Who do you need dead, and what objects do you want to have added into your collection?" Vanessa stood up, feeling like she towered over the dwarf of a man that giddily hopped before her.

"So cold, so ruthless! Just my style. Well, my dear Vanessa, there have been many pirates of late that have been ticking me off. Flying in my territory, trying to down my ship or take the bounty on my head. Most of these are Black Pirates, because they don't give a shit on whose lives they ruin to get what they want. Well, you're going to teach them a lesson." He grabbed her hand suddenly, resting the palm of his other on it.

"… I do hope that you are not expecting results if I have to work in this outfit." Daikokuya's mouth twitched, though whether it was because he was amused or offended Vanessa couldn't tell.

"It is quite flattering for a figure such as yours." His eyes cheekily settled on her breasts again. From the deepening frown on her face, however, he retracted his comment. "Fine, I will arrange for one of my servants to retrieve your clothes if you feel that you would operate better in them. It's the least I can do."

"Thanks… I guess." Vanessa gently tugged at the ends of the tank top, feeling distinctly uncomfortable in it while the older man continued to give her the ups and downs. Satisfying himself for now, he made his way back to the door.

"You've already met Irene, right? While you're on board, you will be working under her. Ask her about what you should be doing." He turned the corner, lingering a moment longer to pop his head back in. "Oh, and tell her I'm hungry. There's a place to start. Good day to you." With that, he was gone, leaving Vanessa alone to wonder just what the hell she was getting herself into.

* * *

The air bore a crisp sense of belonging, as most of the residents of Glacia would come to appreciate over time. The buildings, unlike any other structure known to any Arcadian, hung from the thick ice that covered their entire horizon. Clean rows of buildings (home to thousands upon thousands of the city's residents) had graced above them, like giant stalactites in a cave. The streets were neatly carved from ice, sprinkled with the finest moonstones to give traction needed to prevent slipping and preserve the beauty of the icy terrain.

Glacia's most prized building, the Royal Palace, resided north of the city, hidden behind a great wall. Unlike the buildings built in the city, the palace was built from the ground up. The dome like structure held it's originality up high, and theorized to be an accommodating place to visit in the old world due to the comfort it gave it's visitors who weren't too used to the upside-down structures before it. Ice sculptures decorated the Palace entrance; a strong line of their native animal gracing the walkway, the penguin.

On normal occasions the throne room bore more of the most interesting of conversations; however the infirmary downstairs had the most interesting of occurrences. Two of the palace guards were hovering near the entrance, conversing about the most bizarre occurrence in a while, a girl who had fallen from the sky.

Speaking in his native tongue, the shorter and rounder guard, clad in exquisite ice resembling armour spoke.

"Are you out of your mind, sir? We can't keep an outsider here!" His voice chocked in stress. "Outsiders are forbidden!" The guard stomped his foot down to further emphasize his point.

The taller guard, holding a firmer build on his comrade, in the same armor, smiled, waving his hand down at the other man.

"Drake, calm down. " Before the man could speak he added in "Do you think the Advisor herself would allow an enemy into our land?"

"Ah, Karen." He paused, stroking his chin. "Her judgment is sound …but how could she allow an outsider-"

"-Leave the worrying to her, my friend." He smiled, hoping his calm front would relieve Drake.

"B-But sir!"

The taller man sighed, shaking his head. "Karen is taking to the girl's injuries. I'm quite sure she's no threat."

"And if you were wrong?" Drake hummed in question.

"We'd all be done for as we know it." He winked. "Especially since our defensive line is so infantile that we'd let a simple Arcadian girl harm our entire land and culture." A thought Drake took personally.

"It's happened before." Drake noted, knowing full well there wasn't any way his captain could get around his statement. Before he could comment, the Royal Advisor stepped out from the infirmary.

"Good evening, Drake."Her silver hair rested behind her ears, a few strands covering her jade eyes. Her violet shaded robe represented her position, the symbol of their land embroidered around the seam. She placed her arm in front of her, her robe contained by her gesture, bowing slightly out of courtesy. "May you excuse us?"

"Of course. Sir, I'll be taking my leave. Where shall I be posted?"

"The main gate." He paused. "And Drake?"

"Yes Sir?"

"Please call me Michelin." A grin escaped his lips. "I beg of you."

Drake saluted and dismissed himself.

"Quite the odd fellow." Karen giggled. Michelin had stepped back to give his friend some room, to give her some room. "The girl is doing much better. Rohan and I make quite the team!" She beamed, Michelin not amused in the slightest.

"Your expertise and healing abilities exceed the knowledge and practices of that pipsqueak." He scoffed.

"Michelin!" She scolded, raising her finger to him. He hadn't looked too impressed. "Rohan is quite the prodigy! I've never seen someone more qualified to be the Royal Doctor!"

Michelin groaned knowing Karen was too considerate for her own good. Of course the proof was right there. Karen had attended to the girl for at least a few hours before exiting the infirmary. He'd know. Waiting for someone for a good two hours wasn't too much fun.

"If you are finished belittling the Royal Doctor, I'll be off to inform the Liege of our little foreigner."

"Is that the best idea, Karen?" Michelin rested his hand on her shoulder. "Please, rest."

"I'll be alright." Karen haphazardly let out a smile to reassure her childhood friend. "If I had kept this from our Liege… he'd want to know. If anything, she could answer questions that he's had for years. You know what I'm talking about."

That he did, and if any luck, this girl had resided from the place referred to as Nasrad. If that were the case …oh, that'd be a prayer from the moons finally answered.

"Oh, and Michelin?"Karen said before taking off. "Please accompany Rohan… just in case she causes any trouble."

"Karen, you honestly don't believe she would." He joked. "Unless she was carrying a gun or knife or whatever."

"She was accompanied with a gun. It's the most interesting contraption I have ever laid eyes on." She mused.

Oh Moons, he was kidding.

"Karen, I can't be at two places at once. "I have a shift in a few minutes."

"Michelin! I need you here with her, and Rohan! There's no way he could defend himself if anything were to happen."

Michelin laughed, wishing he could contain the amusing picture of the faceless girl attacking their 'Prodigy.'

"Why are you so against him? He's doing the best he can for himself _and _his daughter."

"He's a bit too cheeky, Karen. I can't stand people like that." He rolled his eyes. "The way he idolizes you is a little too creepy for my liking."

"Oh Michelin, stop. He does not _idolize _me. He's a very considerate fellow." Karen folded her arms, ready to change the subject. "I'll have one of the guards tell Jorge of your new position. Now, problem solved."

The sigh was not gone unnoticed by Karen, as she headed upstairs to meet with her Liege.

Michelin headed into the infirmary, noting Rohan, a far shorter man in comparison, sitting by the girl's bedside. He hadn't the opportunity to glimpse at her, for Rohan's body blocked her face, as the blankets shielded the rest of her. Rohan however, had noticed Michelin try to get a peek. The dirty blonde couldn't help but grin.

"Curious, are we?" He spoke in Arcadian tongue.

"Use the Glacic tongue unless otherwise stated. You know better than that." Michelin crossed his arms in displeasure.

"It's _quite _appropriate, you know. Before us, we do indeed have an Arcadian." Rohan raised a brow. "And what brings you here?"

"Karen requested my assistance just in case our foreigner decided to kick your ass." He grinned.

"My what?" Rohan's eyes widened in embarrassment; his quick impulse to readjust his glasses not ignored by Michelin. He feared Michelin had noticed. Rohan had never been able to hide his embarrassment well. However, had Karen thought of him to be that weak to require the assistance of …this brute?

"You heard me my good man." He made sure to sound out the last two words in plain Arcadian. "Your Ass." Michelin patted Rohan's back, a little too harshly as noted by Rohan's sudden switch in posture. How dare Michelin insult his intelligence! He coughed, his body struggling to recompose itself.

"You may leave anytime, Michelin."

"I would if I had orders stating otherwise, believe you me." He would too. Damn! He really wished he hadn't had such a soft spot for the Glacian girl…

Michelin sat down, his eyes on the girl wrapped in the light purple sheet. Her eyes were closed; her face was graced with a little scab on her cheek. Karen had done a fine job with the girl, as she knew she would. No one who didn't know about the ship crash would have identified that she had been in a mess. This girl was mighty lucky that Karen had found her; she'd be dead otherwise. Rohan cleared his throat; as if he were about to say something. He hadn't, however his eyes spoke volumes. He could tell the royal doctor was intrigued; smitten even. He snickered; Rohan clearly noticed Michelin staring at him, and returned a raised brow.

"You like what you see, Doctor?" He snickered, his grin overwhelmingly arrogant.

"N-No, not at all. I was merely observing her appearance. You would think an outsider would be racially visible. He replied, pushing up his glasses to clarify his vision. "Are you sure she's from the land above?"

"Were you not there when Karen examined her, Rohan? She said you were." Michelin's eyes narrowed. "Not really a person deserving of your position, Doctor."

"I was there, Michelin. I wasn't going to strip the girl down and tend to her wounds when Karen was the more appropriate choice. I stepped out of the infirmary at Karen's request." He paused for further emphasis. "I respect Karen's words, Michelin. This is why I'm presently sharing the same room as you."

"Ouch." Michelin held his hand to his heart. "Aren't you a feisty little man."

Rohan ignored his comment. "Karen hadn't told me the details behind the crash; however, she looks a lot like one of us. I know what you're going to say, Michelin, you're going to mention her skin." Rohan paused, placing a hand hear the girl's bare arm. "Her skin is sun touched, but then again, if we were on the surface …"

"Are you going to babble on all day, Rohan? I wasn't going to question you." Michelin laughed.

Rohan again ignored Michelin's intrusive comments. "The council had stated that Rhian was a person of no good; her raven hair and dark skin an indication of what was to come of our society. I didn't know Her Highness when she was alive; I was but a baby."

"She was a kindhearted woman, as I've heard from the older folks." Michelin responded, growing solemn. "The council does throw things out of proportion; even if they mean to protect us."

"Do we have a common interest there, brute?" Rohan raised a brow at the taller man before him. "I do agree with you on the matters of the council. It makes me wonder how our Liege feels about the situation."

Michelin fell silent at the mention of their Prince. His mother, Queen Rhian was from Nasrad; an outside continent. As a loyal guard and best friend to the Prince, he couldn't imagine what his friend endured. The council decided together that it'd be in the better interest if they took it upon themselves to break his curiosity about his mother from a young age. After they ripped the young prince of his inquisitive nature, they crippled his independence; making each and every decision for the boy harder and harder, until his mind shut down. It wasn't the councils' brightest moment, handicapping their Prince. The citizens of Glacia, however, came first; even at the cost of their own ruler's sanity. Michelin sadly reflected on this truth; it had explained quite well why the Prince displayed a dull mind; he never had the chance to develop one.

It must have been tough to be Prince Marion…

END CHAPTER 13


	15. Decisions

Chapter 14: Decisions

"He said that?" Irene whispered; her voice thick in disbelief. "You must be really good at what you do if he's actually granting you permission to leave the ship… Ah, what I would give for the fresh desert air on a pleasantly cool evening…"

"I don't think you'd want to kill or steal for it, would you?" Vanessa sighed, slumping on the stool beside one of the kitchen's counters. "I've never done this sort of thing solo. I went along with what Skye wanted to do most of the time."

"Honey, when you've been stuck on this ship for as long as I have, you'd be willing to do almost anything for a chance to get out, even if the outing was only temporary." Irene paused as she took out the ingredients for dinner, clearly thinking about what she had just said. Just how far would she go for that chance of freedom? "If you worked with a partner, I can see why you might be a tad nervous to have to strike out on your own. I have faith that you will be able to manage it, though. If nothing else, consider it a tribute to your fallen friend. With or without her, you will still be able to represent the Red Rogues." Irene pulled out a few pots and pans before throwing Vanessa an inquisitive look. "I pray that a pirate can cook. He wants you to make it."

"What? Why?" Vanessa straightened herself, resentment for where she was still heavy on her mind. "He's already got me playing hit man on people that likely don't deserve it; doesn't he have anyone else to cook for him?"

"He's testing you, dear. He wants to evaluate how much of an asset you are to him… and if you succeed, he won't toss Theora overboard."

"Great… He's going to use her to make me do anything, isn't he?" Vanessa mumbled. "Cook, clean, steal, kill random people… what a bright future I have."

"From what I've heard of the Red Rogues, isn't that what you did anyway?" Irene pointed out. "A new layer of paint to a well exercised wagon, I'd say." Vanessa threw her a dark look.

"Not helping." Irene laughed.

"It sure is nice to have someone new to talk to. Besides you and Theora, Evangeline and I are the only girls on this ship. The only few men work below with the weaponry, and there are robots monitoring us everywhere."

"So I see." Vanessa glanced over to the floating contraption that hovered nearby. It moved along with her whenever she did. She already knew that it would be accompanying her on her missions, which only added to the difficulty of the objectives. It stuck out like a sore thumb no matter where it was. "What does the short guy like to eat?"

"He prefers the term height challenged." Irene smirked, clearly joking. "Anyway, what do you make the best?"

"Pancakes."

"…That's it? There isn't anything else in your repertoire?" Concern laced those words.

"Of course that's not the only thing I can make, sheesh." Vanessa huffed, rolling her eyes. "I usually got requests to make ravioli and lasagne for dinner."

"Lasagne! Perfect, Daikokuya loves anything with pasta sauce and cheese. It seems like I can trust you for the occasional evening and breakfast meals; that's fantastic." Irene looked relieved as she stepped away from the counter to stand by Vanessa's side. She gently tugged the younger girl's sleeve, directing her to follow her over to the makings. Irene gave a brief glance over Vanessa's pirate attire, feeling slightly envious that the teen had already ditched the standard tank top and sweatpants.

"That sure is a lot of stuff…" Vanessa scanned over the objects on the counter, her expression puzzled at the overabundance. "How many people am I cooking for here?"

"Fourteen. Daikokuya shares the evening meal with the rest of the crew to ensure that it hasn't been tampered with." Irene saw the look of worry flash across Vanessa's face. "What's wrong? I do hope that you weren't planning on trying to poison it when I take my leave."

"As clever and predictable that might have been concerning my status, no, that wasn't it. I simply haven't ever cooked for more than three people before. The measurements will be all off…"

"Trust me; it's a lot easier than you might think." Irene smiled softly in understanding. "Prior to my life here, I was a bustling family woman with a husband and two children to feed. Here… this might help you." Irene pulled out a small folded piece of paper from her pocket, placing it gently in Vanessa's hands. "I've taken notes on my experimental dishes; the proper measurements for lasagne should be scrawled on the bottom. Mind you, you'll need to change it up a bit if you intend on making some for yourself and Theora."

"Thank you." Vanessa's features warmed with relief, though it fell as she caught sight of Irene's bracelets blinking. She was being summoned. "I guess I'll see you at dinner, then…"

"I'll help you serve it, not to worry." Irene promised; giving Vanessa what she hoped was a comforting pat on the shoulder. "We'll talk seating arrangements when I return." With everything that was to be said spoken, Irene exited the kitchen and headed to the captain's quarters to discover the purpose of her calling. This left Vanessa alone to ponder over the significance of the meal she was about to make… and the repercussions that would come if it were not perfect.

* * *

"… My Prince?" The silver haired teen started, entering the meeting room where the Prince currently resided. Karen didn't have to walk too far from her former location to speak with him. She wished it were on better terms. The Prince had to know about who was residing in his kingdom; before the citizens of the high council did, at least. He sat in a chair, staring up at the ceiling. His form was slouched, his lavender cape spread out underneath him. His platinum hair seemed unkempt and he looked rather distraught. "Are you alright?"

He groaned, sliding a hand over his face. He pushed up his brow with a sole finger, rubbing it in place. Her Prince wasn't normally this unresponsive. Well, this was lovely. The timing of her news couldn't be better.

"I'm tired." He said, almost throwing Karen off her feet. Although relieved to hear his answer, she had hoped his current state was for a better reason. "I had to get up early this morning and it was horrible. The council discussed some really boring issues; such as the ice sculptures representing the wrong message to our public. Who cares about some icicle hanging in-between some guy's legs?"

"What?" Karen spoke, surprised. The council wouldn't request a meeting with the Prince to discuss a sculpture of… "Which sculpture?"

"I wasn't listening. I was just thinking of how great it would be to go back to sleep." He whined; his voice muffled by the hand currently placed on his face.

"It just seems rather peculiar that the members of the high council would report such a thing to you - oh." A massive blush formed on Karen's face. If it were the sculpture that was displayed near the city… she was sure it would be taken care of right away. "I'm sure something will be done."

The Prince hadn't responded to Karen, continuing to groan.

"My Liege, you may want to sit up, for I'm about to deliver a message that may or may not please you." She cleared her throat, as the Prince haphazardly lifted himself up. His jade eyes calmly settled on hers as she began.

"An Arcadian is in the palace."

Karen waited for a response; one of shock, curiosity, anger… anything! However, the Prince didn't react. Instead, he blankly stared at her.

"An ARCADIAN!" Karen raised her voice. "An outsider."

"…What?" The Prince's attention shot up. "Karen! Are you serious?"

"Of course, my Liege." She bowed her head, giving her word. "A pirate from the skies above, I reckon."

He fidgeted, looking uncomfortable. "That's a little scary."

A little scary… was that all he could say about the predicament, that the mere mention of a pirate was 'a little scary'?

"What do you think we should do with the Arcadian?"Karen asked in a whisper, choosing not to respond to his previous statement. "I would be frightened for the girl's life if the high council were to find out before you were."

"A girl?" his voice was shaky. "Why would a child be all alone on a ship?" His mouth curved in a frown, thinking of multiple answers to his question.

"Prince, she's my age. She's not a child." Karen raised a brow. She knew of the Prince's 'disability' but he wasn't supposed to take it literally…

"Oh, I see." He paused. "Where did she come from?"

"I found her body encased in ship ruins. I couldn't leave her to die, so I took it upon myself to bring her back to save her." Karen said, her face presenting n awful shade of white. "I do hope the high council won't have my head."

"Don't worry, Karen." The Prince grinned. "I'll protect you."

Karen smiled at his response, happy to hear her friend was supportive. In return, Karen would share what she contemplated earlier. "I was thinking… You know where your mother came from, right?"

"Karen, she was raised in Nasrad. I'm perfectly aware of that."

"Maybe the Arcadian knows about Nasrad; she could tell you things that you aren't able to find out otherwise."

The Prince paused, unsure of how to reply. He knew where his mother came from, and when his parents met. That was about as much as he was allowed to know. He was forbidden to explore any more into his mother's heritage, fearing that he'd be completely possessed by the powers of curiosity. What Karen was suggesting was sound; it was a gracious opportunity to explore something that wasn't allowed otherwise. But, was it the right thing to do? What would he say to her? What would he ask?

"I-I don't know, Karen." He said uncertainly. "I'm rather –uh, I don't know."

"Think about it, Prince Marion." She smiled. "I know it's a lot of information spewed out at once. I'm hoping that I can make things a little easier for you." She started. "It's my fault for your confusion, but you have to listen to me. I couldn't let her die."

"Karen, I'm not saying you should have. I'm alright with this, you know." He nodded. "I have no problem with outsiders."

Karen knew what he meant; that he didn't have a problem with the _idea_ of an outsider; an Arcadian. She couldn't help but worry about him. He was half Glacian, and half Nasr. However, fate had spared him to resemble his late father in every aspect. He literally carried no genetic traits to the late Queen; a dark haired beauty with sun kissed skin. He was pale, blonde, and quite tall. Mya, the prince's former body guard (who had let herself go after retiring a few years back) took responsibility in raising him after the King had perished. She had tried hard to instill the skills it took to be a strong minded person. Despite that, the high council made it difficult for the young prince to develop the skill of independence. They wanted him to be crippled; fearing that he would emulate his father and allow outsiders from Arcadia into their sacred lands. Or worse - marry one and further taint the bloodline to disintegration.

"My Liege, I'd like to discuss a few topics with you before you make your decision. It doesn't have to be today, however it should be sometime soon before the High Council become riled up about the Arcadian."

The Prince sat in his seat, giving Karen his full attention. "Go on?"

* * *

The surprised gasps and whispers of the crew was the immediate reaction when their eyes first laid sight on the elegant presentation that was to be their dinner. The aroma of the lasagne filled the room luxuriously and gave the room a comfortable atmosphere despite its steel décor. As they filtered through the hallway and took their seats around the large rectangular table, they could not stop gawking at how amazing the food actually looked. The cook had also provided a small garden salad for each member of the crew to accompany the main dish; a healthy assortment of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, carrots, and sliced hard boiled eggs being the toppings. There was also a bowl of shredded cheese should they wish to apply some to their salad – optional, as they were already about to feast on a cheese indulgent meal. Glasses rested empty beside their plates, ready to be filled with a choice of beverages – the most popular one surely to be the large bottle of loqua that sat honourably on its own table nearby. As their eyes took it all in and their stomachs grumbled with anticipation, one question was voiced and shared by many; this was the pirate's work? It seemed far too delicate and extravagant for that of a surly pirate.

The men were eager to dig into the meal set before them, but they knew that it would be their last if they did not wait for the girls and Daikokuya to take their places among them. Impatience nipped at many a man's composure but they withheld, excitement buzzing as Evangeline entered along with the younger of the two pirates, who appeared terrified at the sight of them. Eva steered Theora towards one end of the table before she herself occupied the seat parallel. Theora quietly scooted her seat as far away from the man next to her as possible, feeling deeply discomforted by his bulky presence.

Silence took over the room as Daikokuya appeared; his eyes scanning the presentation of the meal with what looked like a slight tinge of surprise and disappointment. It was clear to the ones that knew him that he had hoped for the pirate to trip up; to give him an excuse to commit to something horrible. He was not given one. He was, however, pleased at how delicious everything looked, sitting down at the head of the table with a rather satisfied expression on his face. Daikokuya snapped his fingers only a moment later, permitting entrance to the last two residents of the ship; the veteran and the newbie, both attractive females, whom had been waiting for this invitation out in the hallway. They flanked Daikokuya's sides as they took the sole remaining seats next to him, all eyes on the new girl as she nervously shifted in her seat. Irene nudged her under the table, directing her to speak. The crew was expecting it.

"Dinner is served… I guess?" Vanessa did not know what she was meant to say, but Irene had told her what she was to do immediately after, which was to serve Daikokuya with his helping first. Though he would not eat it until someone else did, it was out of respect for him that he receive gratification before everyone else. That and he would likely shock either her or Theora if he didn't. Daikokuya kept his face placid as she cut him a handsome portion of the lasagne, remaining still as she cut out even squares for the rest of the crew. There was just enough for everyone, though her piece was notably smaller than the rest because of a slight miscalculation. Theora threw her a stressed and worried look as Vanessa set the young girl's helping before her; the brunette desperately wishing that she could hug or say anything to her older friend but knowing that she could not without there being a consequence. Evangeline had warned her of this when she had been retrieved from her room. The two pirates were to be completely isolated from one another, with the only exception being a stray glance or two at the table. To Theora, this was torturous.

Vanessa took her seat again after she had properly served them all. Irene looked impressed and grateful for her cooperation, knowing how much animosity the Red Rogue felt towards her current situation. This feeling was not helped either by the older man casually rubbing her leg with his hand under the table. Was he always this perverted?

"I would like to thank you all for coming to this meeting." Daikokuya finally spoke, another formality of the occasion that Vanessa would later learn to be a tradition. "It is a pleasure to be amongst the crew in this granted time of a peaceful respite."

"Here here!" One of the men cheered, enthusiasm evident in his tone. Daikokuya looked amused at the support as he continued.

"Today is marked by a special occasion; a time of which we warmly welcome two new members to our family. It is truly a privilege that we are graced with the presence of two of the founding Red Rogues; I trust that you will all see to it that they are treated with respect." He looked over the men of the ship, most of them nodding quite vigorously. Daikokuya could tell that a few were already infatuated with the darling that sat beside him. It was too bad for them that he had already staked a claim for her, and he made sure they took notice of this as he placed one of his hands possessively over one of her own that had been resting on the table. Her skin crawled at his touch, but she did her best not to make a face. "Vanessa here has agreed to serve me to pull off some of my higher ambitions. I'm sure you all remember the attack by Gunthor of the Black Pirates?"

The disgruntled looks of the crew was the only response he needed.

"Soon we will be plagued by him no longer." Daikokuya assured them, his thumb now rubbing the dorsum of Vanessa's hand slowly. "Details need not be discussed now, but I can tell you that he won't be bothering us near the stone reef leading to Nasr anymore." Many men looked relieved, though now their sights were even more curious as they rested on the girl that was to carry out these unspoken objectives. Only a spare few had heard of the exploits of the Red Rogues, and while she certainly fit the bill as a fashionable pirate, none were quite certain that she would be able to pull it off. She did not look like a killer, and besides… surely a girl that cooked so well never had the time for much else. Men and their assumptions.

Food was not only on the captive men's mind as Daikokuya soon proved; his stomach emitting a deep growl as the scent of lasagne wafted over to fill his nostrils. He laughed, knowing that it was taking them all much restraint to not indulge without his permission. "Well now, let us dine together my friends! We do not wish to disgrace the efforts of our wonderful new cook, do we?"

"Certainly not!" One of them chimed in. Finally able to eat the meal that had sat teasingly before them, forks and knives took flight and came crashing down, leaving nary a speck of leftovers. They hadn't had such a satisfying meal in what felt like decades, and when the loqua was passed around, it truly felt like a celebration. For what, they didn't know, nor did they care. They just knew that it filled up their gullets and that the newest addition to the crew was no slacker. She also had quite the figure… something that had gone unnoticed when she first arrived wrapped in heavy coils with her young friend. Vanessa would be the talk of the night in the servant's quarters, there was no question about that.

While the men cheerfully gushed and Daikokuya made conversation with the two beauties he ensured was beside him, the other end of the table was quite despondent in retrospective. Theora did not speak and did not like hearing some of the snippets of whispered comments that took place nearest her. She would not converse with Evangeline, despite the slightly older girl's prompts, and only gave a small pitiful smile to acknowledge that she was being spoken to at all. She appreciated Eva's efforts, but tonight was just not the night to try. Theora was far too busy trying in vain to block out the conversations of the men that sat between her and the one she really wanted to talk to.

Eva sat dejectedly in her seat, separated from her mother because she had been told to look after and befriend a girl that barely even threw a look in her direction. This was intolerable. Stupid reassigned seating arrangements… oh well; at least the food was good.


End file.
